Nancy Flake Johnson is an essential community advocate who leads the Urban League of Greater Atlanta with a resolute focus on economic empowerment. As President and CEO, she spearheads initiatives that break down systemic barriers and create pathways to financial stability and prosperity for individuals and families across the metropolitan area. Being that the Atlanta Urban League is just as relevant today as it was when it was founded in 1920, Ms. Johnson’s strategic vision continues to be committed to fostering economic equity and building a stronger, more inclusive Atlanta.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, how would you describe it?
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Nancy Flake Johnson: From a mission standpoint, it’s always been that we would be the catalyst to connect, equip, and elevate Black folks to be in a position to thrive. The key is that we meet people where they are because people are all over the place. The ones who need us the most are those stuck in this revolving door of poverty. With the right tools, people can move out of poverty into the middle class so they can live well.
In the news, we’re seeing how the Federal government’s new mission to halt funding for DEI programs seems to be making it more challenging to move people out of poverty. How do we get people to cut through the noise and take the political process more seriously?
First and foremost, we have to initiate a new ground game and a new strategy for re-engaging our community in this voting process. We’re telling our clients in the community, don’t be distracted. The way forward is not to shrink now. We have to accelerate the things that will put our families and communities in the strongest possible position to not just survive this phase, but continue to thrive through this phase. And the pathway for that is taking full advantage, while it still exists, to uptake our skills and our educational attainment. The good news about this economy is that lots of pathways don’t require a four-year degree. We have to take advantage of that right now and get as many of our people as possible stable enough to move into these short-term stackable credentialing opportunities so they can up tick their income.
Sounds good, but the economy has been so uncertain this year, it’s looking like we may be headed into a recession. What do you tell your clients to do?
In a time of uncertainty, where a recession might happen, people lose their jobs. Companies downsize, right? People may say I’m going to school, but will there be opportunities when I come out? Well, if you’re strategic about your training, there are certain sectors that are going to continue to operate. You’ve got to position yourself based on your talents and skills as best as possible, and that’s where Urban League comes in.
The Urban League does offer quite a bit of opportunities and information on your website and social media. We’ve seen the general population having mixed feelings when it comes to embracing or fearing AI because it’s causing so many jobs to be eliminated. What’s your take on AI? And what are some other practical, proactive things residents in the community can be doing in order to find or maintain employment?
Because AI is just getting started, if you have a propensity for that type of work, you don’t need a four-year degree for that anymore. How about the building trades? Electricians, plumbers, welders, all of those infrastructure things. Those pathways also lend themselves to self-employment. So if you don’t have a job, you create a job, right? You can market yourself in your community and keep something going. Healthcare, it’s not going anywhere. They are going to start laying off. They’re going to have to lose some of these positions because they’re going to lose resources, but they still have to have all those roles filled. Phlebotomists, nurses, all those roles. Medical billing, they’ll still be there. Film and television, that’s going to keep going. It’s a billion-dollar industry. We have all kinds of creatives, but we have to kick those doors down and tap into the employers that look like us, and those that support our goals.
