Presented by the Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC), our Feature-a-Founder spotlight is designed to highlight youth-led initiatives in Calgary making a positive impact. This month, we’re featuring Anne Johnson, the co-founder of The Iris Project.
Have you ever stopped to look at an iris? Aside from it’s vibrant petals, there is something remarkably resilient about this flower. You’ll find them in the most unlikely places clinging to the cracks of a sidewalk, bordering a forgotten pool, or blooming where most people assume life isn’t meant to thrive. To Anne Johnson, the co-founder and president of The Iris Project, this flower is more than just a wonder, it is a symbol of hope and a reminder that “warmer days are coming,” even in the toughest environments.
At an age when most students are just beginning to navigate the pressures of high school, Anne has built a movement. With active chapters in both Calgary, Alberta, and Temecula, California, The Iris Project is a student-led non-profit dedicated to supporting the community’s most vulnerable members through the power of the creative arts.
Her Vision
The seeds of the Iris Project were planted during Anne’s 9th grade year. Alongside her co-founder, Michelle, Anne was already a frequent volunteer with Youth Central. However, they felt a calling to do something more personalized to bridge the gap between their love for the arts and the tangible needs of their community.
“I have always played various instruments, and all my extracurriculars revolve around the arts,” Anne shares. When she and Michelle saw an opportunity to apply for a micro grant, they jumped at it. They didn’t just want to start a club, they wanted to create a mission: fostering hope in vulnerable communities with a specific focus on creative expression.
For Anne, the organization is important not just for the impact it makes but also for the community it builds among youth. “I’ve met and experienced such great things, working alongside some of the most intelligent and wonderful people in my peer group,” she says. Today, she leads a dedicated team of women, delegating tasks and heading initiatives that prove youth are changemakers.
Art as a Bridge Between Generations
While The Iris Project has launched several successful programs including distributing over 100 hand-painted “Birthday Baskets” to women’s and children’s shelters and creating “Affirmation Chairs” for cancer centers there is one initiative that holds a particularly special place in Anne’s heart: Capturing Memories.
In collaboration with Club 36, an Alzheimer’s support program, Anne recruited student artists from her school to partner with seniors. The goal was simple yet profound: spend time together. Once a week, the pairs engaged in conversation and shared activities, allowing the students to truly “see” the person behind the diagnosis.
The students then translated the seniors’ life stories into custom artworks. At the end of the program, a showcase was held where these pieces were gifted to the seniors and their families as “keepsakes”.
“The creative fraction of the brain is often the last to deteriorate,” Anne explains. “I’ve worked with patients who might not remember who they are with, but they know every single lyric to their favorite song. Through art, we wanted to capture and immortalize these memories, even if they are fading.”
For Anne, this wasn’t just about the art, it was about breaking the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s. She wanted to ensure these seniors didn’t feel “othered” or distanced from society. Seeing the intergenerational bonds form was, in her words, “heartwarming” a testament that we should never distance ourselves from common human experiences, no matter how difficult they may seem.
Defending the Arts in a STEM-Focused World
One of the most profound lessons Anne has learned through this journey is the essential role the arts play in our personal and social lives. In a world where high schoolers are often pressured to prioritize STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), Anne noticed a disheartening trend.
“It’s clear that STEM subjects are held at a higher value, and people are sometimes made fun of for considering the arts in post-secondary education,” she observes. Through The Iris Project, Anne is actively challenging the idea that creativity is just a “frivolous hobby.”
She believes that every creative has something valuable to contribute to the world. Her work has shown her that art isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s a tool for empathy and a way to communicate when words fail.
Navigating the Difficulties of a Youth Founder
Running a nonprofit while still in school isn’t all showcases and flower-themed branding, it comes with significant logistical hurdles. For Anne, the biggest obstacle has been funding. “It’s difficult getting funding when you aren’t a registered charity or if you don’t have of age board members,” she admits. Most traditional grants are gatekept by age requirements. However, Anne’s resourcefulness has been her greatest asset. She has successfully secured youth-focused grants through Youth Central and the City of Calgary, while also looking into partnerships with registered charities to gain more access to resources.
Her journey proves that while the system may not always be built for young founders, there is always a way through if you are willing to look for “cracks” in the sidewalk.
Advice for the Next Generation
If you’re a student sitting on a big idea but waiting for the “right time” to start, Anne has a message for you: The right time is right now.
“No matter how much work you think it will be, or the thought that your ideas aren’t good enough, start putting them into motion ASAP!” she urges. “The fear of doing something new is absolutely nothing compared to the regret of never trying.”
Final Thoughts
Meeting Anne makes you realize that being a “founder” isn’t about having a fancy office or a decade of experience. It’s about having the empathy to see a need in your community and the courage to use your unique talents, whether that’s painting, music, or leadership to fill it. Anne Johnson isn’t just planting irises, she’s planting a legacy of compassion that will bloom for years to come!
Next Steps
Started a project? Apply to Feature-a-Founder to be featured and share your impact – submit your story here!
Need help getting your idea off the ground? Explore our grants and funding opportunities: youthcentral.com/grants.