Get To Know Daviyion Johnson - NGU Board Member

What moments in Black history are meaningful to you?

It’s kind of an easy pic, but Barack Obama becoming the President of the United States. That was modern black history and it’s exciting that it happened, but still sad it took over 200 years in our nation’s history for this to happen. Representation matters and that’s why this is so meaningful for me.

How do you think having Black leaders and staff members impact an organization’s success?

Not that all black people are a monolith, but I think that having Black leaders and staff in an organization/company allows more diverse and inclusive ideas and perspectives to heard and seen. As I said earlier, representation will also matter, especially when you are serving a city as diverse and varied as Buffalo.

What work needs to be done to make Buffalo a more equitable and inclusive place for Black individuals?

I think the work that needs to continue happening is investment/re-investment into the communities where Buffalo’s Black community primarily lives, works, and engage in. Also have more diverse voice in the councils, boards, and industries that are serving and benefitting from those neighborhoods and communities.