Welcome! My name is Lauren Johnson aka Lauren Alyssa; I am a 26-year-old creative, entrepreneur with a passion for highlighting, curating, and connecting gems. Who am I? A follower of Christ, a spirited storyteller, an MBA grad, a music lover (from Nat King Cole to J. Cole to Bob Marley, all genres), a nail polish connoisseur, and a self-care advocate. Essentially, I am girl on a journey to fulfill her God-given, purpose, the purpose that shapes who I am. 

During my Christ journey, God directed me to give, to make a difference, and He would take care of me. As a result of that direction, I set out to embrace all that He placed in me, the passions and more. A desire to share my testimony and become a difference maker led to the start of this blog… “The Gem Within, Inc,”  a platform with a mission to connect, inspire, and encourage others to live, and be the light and change we wish to see. 

My natural entrepreneurial spirit and my love of community expands outside of the Miami Metro area. Through this blog and my creative community, The Gem Collective, I seek to create more opportunities for connectivity and respect. In spite of storms, my love of God fuels my desires and enables me to persevere through all storms. With this platform, I hope to expand on common themes that people—particularly people of color—face by sharing my own personal experiences and musings.

If you'd like to connect, talk about anything and everything don't hesitate to reach out to me below:

Let's connect: Lauren@thegemwithin.com

Follow Me