This week, I lost my mentor—the woman who saw light in me after knowing me only a few days.
The Clarity Letter — Special Edition
For Dr. J: The Mentor Who Helped Me See
On October 30th, the world lost a builder of people, and I lost my mentor. She was the woman who saw light in me after knowing me only a few days.
Dr. J and me — from student to colleague, mentor to family.
Dr. Arcelia Johnson-Fannin, lovingly known as Dr. J, was my toughest pharmacy professor. Yet she led with a heart so open it defied titles. When I faced major surgery as a college student far from home, she told my parents, who lived hundreds of miles away on our island of St. Thomas, “I’ll take care of her.” And she did. That act of kindness marked the beginning of a lifelong mentorship that shaped the academic and professional leader I became.
I had been blessed with teachers and champions throughout my youth, people who believed in me before I fully understood belief itself. But when I stepped into the demanding world of professional pharmacy, Dr. J’s voice arrived right on time. She steadied me before doubt had a chance to whisper.
Her favorite gospel song was “Order My Steps.” She lived those words. Graceful, wise, and unshakably grounded in purpose, she built not one but two schools of pharmacy, breaking new ground with elegance, humility, and quiet strength.
She was my first boss and my advisor through every adult crossroad. She celebrated my wedding and, because that is who she was, bought the cake herself. We were both night owls, talking through life’s puzzles until the wee hours.
Dr. J passed away recently. Today, as we celebrate her life and legacy, I am honoring what she built in me by finally launching something she would have believed in before I did: AH-HA Moments.
She never knew its name, but her influence is all over its foundation—clarity, purpose, and the courage to act when it matters most.
I press “Go Live” now, in her memory. This step, this day, is taken in gratitude for her faith in me and in honor of every woman who has ever been called forward by someone’s belief.
Because of her, I know that clarity is sacred, purpose is not optional, and faith is the steady hand that orders every step.
Rest well, Dr. J. We will see each other again. Until then, I will keep walking in ordered steps.
With gratitude and resolve,
Akima
P.S. If someone once believed in you before you believed in yourself, carry their light forward. It is the surest way to keep their love alive.
→ Want a gentle weekly nudge toward peace and purpose? Browse past letters or subscribe.