Karen JohnHope wasn’t thinking about early education and care when she went to Bradford College. She studied accounting, which her mother had said would be best, and majored in Human Resource Management. JohnHope got a job in Burlington at Nokia, the Finnish telecommunications company, where she helped employees who were relocating to Massachusetts with basic tasks like setting up bank accounts and finding grocery stores. 

“Relocation, that was my thing. I helped people find their way. I developed a relocation handbook, the first one the company had for Massachusetts.” 

The work resonated with JohnHope. As a child driving around with her father, she had always liked maps, and she liked giving “maps” of their new setting to Nokia employees. 

Then things changed.

“After being laid off in early 2002, and expecting my second daughter, I became a stay-at-home mom. I was bored when my eldest daughter started kindergarten, so while I was home, I watched a friend’s child.”

“I thought, we’re not going to sit here doing anything,” JohnHope recalls. “We’re not just going to watch T.V.” She began taking the children in her care on outings to museums and other places.

“My Mom said, since you’re with children, you might as well do some teaching. And I said, you’re right. So I earned an associate’s degree in early childhood education. I went on to Cambridge College and earned a bachelor’s degree. 

“I started writing curriculum and realized, wow, this is similar to the relocation handbook I worked on at Nokia, only I was helping children transition to kindergarten. It was the same thing; I was preparing them for where they needed to go.”

By the end of 2002, JohnHope had opened a licensed, home-based child care program in the carriage house behind her own house. She bought a van, made sure it had the right insurance, and took the children in her car on field trips to places like the EcoTarium in Worcester. She prioritized hands-on experience.

She had a satisfying map of how everything should go. Then things changed again.

Sometimes advocacy is about advocating for yourself

In 2016, after a difficult divorce that brought up feelings of insecurity, JohnHope stopped working for three months to “rebuild my mind and body.”

“By the time I was 30, I thought, I don’t really like myself, what am I going to do? So I have to continue to fake it, right? Because I can’t let people know how I really feel.”

Faking it and therapy paid off. So did the desire to go back to working with children. 

“I loved the children, and that was where I felt safe.”

Another change: JohnHope also adopted a son whom she homeschools. 

“He challenges me every day to become a better mom and teacher, so I can do my best to support him. He is a gift.” 

Today, JohnHope runs Small Steps Daycare, in Lowell, Mass. She has worked hard to ensure the quality of her program and of its flexibility. Parents can sign up for full-time or part-time care. Small Steps also proudly partners with Lowell Public Schools, and JohnHope currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Lowell Early Childhood Council.

People who visit Small Steps may expect to meet “the owner,” JohnHope says, and they are surprised when they see “Karen”—with tattoos—standing in front of them. 

“I may not fit the traditional image some people have in mind, but my experience, leadership, and dedication have sustained and grown my program for over 22 years. What truly defines me isn’t my appearance, it’s the relationships I’ve built, the knowledge I bring, and the strong foundation we continue to create for children and families in our community.”

JohnHope also joined The 9:30 Call, which has exposed her to the larger early childhood community. She joined the Advocacy Network, in part to rewire herself to speak up about her experiences, joys, and insights.

“Since September, when I joined the Advocacy Network, I’ve been intentional about opening up more with my families—showing them that I’m not just a center director or owner. I share that I have hobbies, that I love animals, and that I truly enjoy life on the farm that I own.

“By allowing families to see more of who I go beyond my professional role, and as a result we’ve built stronger bonds and deeper connections. I’m not just running a program; I’m becoming part of the community—our child care community.”

JohnHope started with families she knew well, now she’s engaging more with the larger community in Lowell and in the early childhood sector. She has learned that speaking up about herself has the power to help others.

As someone who focuses on getting projects done in a timely fashion, JohnHope has been struck by the lofty aspirations of her Advocacy Network peers. 

“My outlook on many topics is realistic and practical, however Strategies for Children has opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of what can happen if you are willing to work for what truly matters to you.

“I emailed Titus DosRemedios to ask why people were setting goals that seemed far-fetched to me,” JohnHope says of Strategies for Children’s Deputy Director. “Why not focus on something you can accomplish right now? And Titus reminded me that having big dreams isn’t a bad thing—because you never know what’s possible until you ask.”

Advocacy through art

For her Advocacy Network project, JohnHope is working with the nonprofit organization Defending the Early Years (DEY) to develop an art campaign. Based on a campaign in Louisiana, JohnHope’s project will invite teenagers and others to create a work that answers the questions: What did you miss in early childhood? What experiences do you wish you had had? 

The art projects are collected and shared with stakeholders. 

“DEY has invited teenagers and groups of people who have been incarcerated to create art. And when I heard about it, I thought, This is a great thing for me. I love art, and I know I missed things in my childhood.”

JohnHope wants to have high school students in Lowell participate in the project, and she wants to share the results with teachers. This will give high schoolers a voice in making change, and empower teachers to address the mistakes of the past. 

“It’s about finding ways to create positive experiences for kids, because I know for certain that positive experiences can help kick down some of life’s negative experiences and outcomes.”

What does JohnHope want policymakers to know about her work? 

“Policymakers should understand that the work we do today may not show measurable results for years. That is the nature of early childhood education. Building a strong foundation—rooted in the hope and expectation of a better future—is not just idealistic; it is essential.”