CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Chesapeake firefighter/paramedic and model Alijah Johnson, better known as AJ, was recently selected to appear in the world-renowned Australian Firefighters Calendar.
According to reps for the calendar, the eye-catching publication is sold in 90 countries with a social media reach of 3.2 billion — nearly half the planet.
Its proceeds provide funds for research in childhood burns.
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“They made it a big experience for me especially, my first time being in Australia, and it was great to go there and do something as big as this,” Johnson told me.
There are five versions of the calendar—including one that features animals. Some of the calendar proceeds go to Australian animal charities.
AJ is one of only two Americans chosen to be in the calendar—and he's the first Black firefighter chosen in the calendar’s 32-year history.
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“[AJ] looks like a movie star, acts like a movie star, takes a photo like a movie star,” said calendar director David Rogers.
“The American fans are going to see AJ, with… I might as well give you the exclusive: He’s got one photo with a koala, which is cool, but he’s got this other really amazing shot in what we call our 'hero calendar,' which is the firefighters doing very heroic roles,” said Rogers.
Still on cloud nine from the March photoshoot, AJ tells me he’s accomplishing what he set out to do: be a trailblazer... literally.
Sometimes, that means taking the heat.
“The guys would splash gasoline on a fire wall and the fire keeps going and going and we’re supposed to just stand there like it doesn’t burn at all,” said Johnson.
While being in front of the camera is fun for him, AJ tells me his real passion is for helping people.
He has a YouTube channel called 'Pretty Boy Floyd' where he helps Black men with skincare and self-care. He has 42,500 subscribers and counting—with one video garnering 8 million views.
“He works very hard every single day, every minute of the day. It's strategically planned out that he’s creating this video," said his mom, Angela Greene. "He’s doing this shoot, he’s going to Dallas, he’s going to Brazil, he’s going to L.A.”
Greene is still amazed when strangers are starstruck when they meet him, and this is before the calendar release.
“We’ve gone to places and he’ll make a joke and people will come up to him and say, 'hey, are you Pretty Boy Floyd?'" Greene recalls. "And he’s like yeah and they say, 'thank you, I watch you all the time. You’ve been an inspiration, you’ve really helped me.'”
Helping people is in AJ's DNA. And it's no surprise he chose public service: his mom has been a police officer for more than 20 years.
“Ever since he was young he’s been a loving, protective, but very creative spirit as well. So it's nice to see him grow into this,” said Greene.
“I feel like my purpose is always to help people. I have different passions like modeling and even with YouTube," said Johnson.
AJ also has a short film that just came out and is already receiving film festival awards.
The calendar will be out in August and you can snag one for $17.99.
