6 minute read
When We All Vote, with Alumni Priestly Johnson
When We All Vote, with Alumni Priestley M. Johnson
WHO I AM My name is Priestley Marie Johnson. I am a daughter, a sister, an aunt, an activist, Howard alumna and God’s creation. I am from Hartford, Conn., raised with Jamaican parents. All of these identities, combined with graduating magna cum laude with my B.A. in political science in 2016, made me who I am today. I now serve as the deputy director of partnerships for Michelle Obama’s voting initiative, When We All Vote.
STRUGGLE MEETS HUSTLE Two words that I heard and experienced almost daily on campus were “hustle” and “struggle.” From the moment you step on campus, you are in a competitive environment with people that have already proved themselves to be the best. The Mecca is where I perfected my grit. On top of a full educational schedule each semester, I had an internship, a job and I participated in a student-led organization. Although my time commitments increased, I was always seeking more and more opportunities to advance my skill set. The second quality is well-known in the Howard millennial community as “The Howard Struggle.” There was a consistent theme of needing to overcome this struggle, whether it be waiting in line for medical clearances, having midterms simultaneously as Homecoming or waking up early to get all the classes you need to graduate. The struggle is real, but if you continue to overcome it, your struggle will eventually pay off. When that day comes, you better be ready.
My day came just 10 days before graduation. Ms. Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to the then president and my commencement speaker, President Barack Obama, came to speak to the graduating senior women. At the time, I was dealing with many stressors, including graduation arrangements for family coming in town and the existential dread of having no plans for my future. I went to the event with my resume in hand, and firstly Ms. Jarrett kicked all of the men out of the room (including her secret service detail!). This allowed us all a safe place to openly talk about entering the world as young Black women. Her resounding message was to always be your own biggest advocate. I flagged down Ms. Jarrett’s staffer after the event, handed her my resume and pitched myself to her as a promising young professional. She smiled generously and gave me her card. After two months of intentional outreach, thousands of dollars in last-minute flights to Washington, D.C., and a lot of bravery, I landed in the Obama Administration’s White House Office of Public Engagement.
This defining moment of perseverance propelled my career. I went on to advocate and plan hundreds of convening events for the White House Council on Women and Girls, strategically connected hundreds of organizations to thousands of people seeking essential resources and fundraised over a million dollars professionally to benefit the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs. If it were not for “The Howard Struggle,” I would not have been born in the image of the “Howard Hustle.” Life has come to show me, as long as you hustle harder than the struggle, it will always be worth it.
VOTING As the deputy director of partnerships, I oversee more than 400 partners, including all nine organizations of the National Panhellenic Council; nonprofits such as the National Urban League; and global brands like Postmates, Change.org and Lyft, among others. I ensure that all nonprofit, corporate, community-based, local or national organizations have the tools and resources needed to register voters; promote accurate voting information; and mobilize thousands of their members, employees and staff to get out the vote. In 2016, 100 million eligible voters did not cast their ballots and for that reason, in 2018, Michelle Obama launched When We All Vote, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. We are on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and voting age gap by changing the culture around voting, harnessing grassroots energy and leveraging strategic partnerships to reach every American.
In 2018, we saw the most massive turnout of young people in decades for a midterm election. Unfortunately, still nearly two-thirds of young people did not cast their ballot.
Voting is not marriage. Voting is like getting on the nearest bus heading closest to your destination. Activism and advocacy are the few extra blocks you walk to arrive at your destination. Voting is a form of protest. Both concepts go hand in hand, particularly for Black people whose ancestors have fought hard for this right. In 2020, we continue to see suppression manifest in various shapes, sizes and forms. From closed polling places to lines that circle entire neighborhoods and absentee ballots that never arrive, the challenges so many voters have faced this year aren’t an accident: they are tactics of voter suppression. If voting wielded no power, people would not go out of their way to dissuade you from having your voice heard. We elect people in office to reflect our views and represent us. From the White House to our local district attorneys, each elected position can directly influence your nephew with asthma’s air quality, your friend’s interactions with the justice system and your access to vital resources like health care. It is your right to be represented by people that reflect your values. For this to be true, you must have your voice heard in each and every election. Your vote does matter.
I do this work with When We All Vote to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and that all people understand their power.
MBONGI & PURPOSE The word “mbongi” comes from Bantu-Kongo and means a “house without rooms.” I learned this in Dr. Greg Carr’s class freshman year at HU. He used this as a framework to develop each class as a convening space where we openly explored and delved deeper into our Black identity and its unique dimensions. In the cafe on “Soul Food Thursdays” or in Burr during a pep rally, these open-convenings of Black thought happened daily on campus in and out of class. Howard’s entire structure was our “mbongi”: a place to learn, discuss, inquire and exist freely. A house without rooms.
When you leave Howard, finding those safe spaces for your identity to be appreciated, be valued and be an asset in professional environments is difficult, but it’s necessary. My presence and voice alone in political spaces have allowed me to advocate for inclusive representation in partners, resources, staff demographics, digital content, socio-economic backgrounds and funding allocation. I strive to make each environment I enter my own “mbongi,” so that wherever I exist, there too exists a place without restrictions, a structure embracing innovation and creativity, and a sense of belonging for ALL – an environment where I show up every day as my full self: A Black Woman.
WHAT’S NEXT?
“Sankofa.” Sankofa is a word in the Twi language of Ghana that translates to “Go back and get it.” Sankofa is symbolized by a bird with its head turned backward, carrying a precious egg in its mouth, while its feet are faced forward. During my matriculation at Howard, I learned of this in our preparation to go to visit the African Burial Ground National Monument in the heart of New York City. In the 1700s, the design was found in the center of the burial ground carrying the remains of over 419 slaves. I believe our ancestors were telling us to continue our progress while always going back to sow seed within our community. In this vein, I continuously help elevate others through mentorship, speak to students in the Political Science Department and even provide employment opportunities. “Sankofa” is reflected in every public or private sector endeavor I take on. Yet, there is still impact to be made in innovation, representation, technology, content, resource allocation and so many more fields.
