Community Possibilities
Community Possibilities
The Urban CEO: How Dr. Dominique Johnson Builds Community Champions
Dr. Dominique Johnson's passion for community transformation isn't just theoretical—it's deeply personal and remarkably effective. From his roots in East Macon, Georgia to founding the Urban Community Empowerment Organization (Urban CEO), Johnson has developed a powerful framework for community-led change that's producing measurable results.
The Urban CEO focuses on five strategic pillars: education, economic empowerment, leadership development, civic engagement, and wellness—each addressing critical needs within urban communities.
The Urban Leadership Academy, a seven-month program that has graduated over 100 community leaders over nine years.
Johnson's recent focus on mental health reveals his responsiveness to emerging community needs. He points to the alarming statistic that less than 3% of psychologists nationally are Black men, creating significant barriers to culturally competent care. Through initiatives like an annual Mental Health Symposium, he's working to destigmatize mental health issues while increasing access to resources.
Data plays a crucial role in Johnson's strategy for community transformation. His motto "dollars follow data" encapsulates the practical importance of census participation and data collection. As he powerfully states, "that number has a name"—reminding us that behind every statistic is a human story.
Drawing from historical social movements and his faith tradition, Johnson aims to "equip people so the community itself can build itself." This philosophy of empowered self-determination creates sustainable change built on the unique strengths already present in every community.
Bio
Dr. Dominique Johnson is a trailblazing leader whose passion for community transformation has positioned him as a catalyst for change. As the visionary force behind The Urban CEO, he has dedicated his life to empowering leaders, fostering cultural change, and creating lasting community impact. With over two decades of experience.
A dynamic strategist, Dr. Johnson is committed to developing leaders at every level. Through SEEDS Global Enterprises and The Urban CEO, he champions initiatives that drive economic empowerment, leadership development, and civic engagement.
Dr. Johnson’s leadership and service have earned him numerous accolades, including the Links, Inc. Chain of Service Award and the Wesleyan College Lane Center Servant Leadership Award. A Leadership Georgia graduate and a recognized regional influencer, he continues to shape Middle Georgia and beyond.
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Hi everybody, welcome to Community Possibilities, the podcast where we talk about what's possible for our communities when we all work together. I'm Anne Price and today I'm thrilled to welcome a special guest, Dr. Dominique Johnson. Johnson is a speaker, mentor, pastor and community change agent who has dedicated his life to empowering individuals and strengthening communities. With over 15 years of experience leading people towards personal transformation and social impact, he knows what it takes to create real, lasting change. As the founder of the Urban Community Empowerment Organization and pastor of Kingdom Life Church, Dr. Johnson is passionate about helping everyday people become champions, leaders who influence their communities for the better. Don't we all need that today? So on this episode we're going to dive into his journey, the lessons he's learned and how we can all step up to make a difference. Get ready for an inspiring conversation about leadership and the power of community. Let's get started. Hi everybody. Welcome back to Community Possibilities. I have a special community leader for you today, dr Dominique Johnson. Welcome to the podcast.
Dominque Johnson:Hey how you doing. Thank you for having me.
Ann Price:I am doing very well. You and I have never met before. A lot of times I know my guests and sometimes I don't, but I know of you through our common friend, Darius.
Dominque Johnson:Yes, yes, lovely lady, One of my I would call it a spiritual daughter, a mentee, so we know good people. But I know you've probably done your homework and research on me though.
Ann Price:A little bit. Yeah, just a little bit. And for those of you who have not listened, go back to listen to Reese's podcast. I think it was two or three episodes ago by the time this one airs. Doresa Oplong is just an amazing community leader and she recommended that I speak with you.
Dominque Johnson:Oh yeah, I'm grateful for that.
Ann Price:Yeah, so we always start the podcast by just having my guests introduce themselves and I always say share how you came to be who you are. Nobody's really interested in your beta, so much as or at least I'm not, because I think we're all called to this work.
Dominque Johnson:Right.
Ann Price:One way or another, and that story is so interesting to me.
Dominque Johnson:Well, cool, I'm Dominique Johnson. I'm from Macon, georgia. Well, really, I say I'm from East Macon. We have a little chip on our shoulder, okay.
Ann Price:Tell me about that, because I've been to Macon? Many times, but I don't live there. What is it? Is this like East side, west side?
Dominque Johnson:Yes, it is. You know Macon, you know fairly mid-sized city. But those on the east side, we make it sure to say we were from east Macon and went to the Northeast High School. So that's it. Born and raised in Macon. I have three sisters. I'm the oldest Parents, I have two children, joshua and Kirsten, and I've been widowed for a year. So what has come to make me who I am is my upbringing, my surroundings. I definitely can't leave out my faith because I'm a pastor as well, but yeah.
Ann Price:Yeah, I'm sorry for your loss. I did not know that.
Dominque Johnson:Oh well, thank you. Thank you, she was a great woman, great mother.
Ann Price:So now we already have something in common. My oldest is Joshua.
Dominque Johnson:Oh, mine too, right yeah Right.
Ann Price:Yeah, okay. So I kind of like those Old Testament names.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah, thank you. Yeah, and we wanted something strong and that's what came up. So he's doing well. Now he's in college and he's playing basketball. He actually goes to my alma mater, payne College in Augusta, georgia.
Ann Price:Yay, yeah, so he's good All around, almost launched. You've done your job almost launched.
Dominque Johnson:You've done your job. Two more years. Kirsten is up next. She's a sophomore. So two more years and we're going to see how it is to be an empty nest by myself again.
Ann Price:You know it's funny, dominic. I was just talking to a friend this morning and we were just talking about how, in our head, we knew that our kids were going to grow up and fly away, but in our heart we didn't know that.
Dominque Johnson:Oh, so you prepare me Okay.
Ann Price:Well, I don't know. My husband doesn't seem to have the same. Maybe it's a mom thing. You tell me in a couple of years how it is for you.
Dominque Johnson:But yeah, it's like what the hell?
Ann Price:One of the things my dad said they get your house, but not out your pocket, oh that's true too. That is very true yeah, yeah I love to travel, I love to hike, um, as people who know me can tell you, uh and my kids will go anywhere as long as I pay for it right.
Dominque Johnson:That's good, because I'm that's. That's one of the things chan and I were going to do, since Joshua was older, kirsten she started driving, so we were going to do that, but I guess I had to take some trips by myself and just relax.
Ann Price:Well, you can do that. I actually did a solo trip this past weekend to. I flew to Miami and then I went to the Everglades and Biscayne National Park.
Dominque Johnson:Wow, okay.
Ann Price:Because nobody else was available. I'm like well, I'm going.
Dominque Johnson:That's good, I'm going. It's a beautiful world. Yeah, you have an adventurous soul. It seems like then.
Ann Price:Well, it sounds like you do too.
Dominque Johnson:I try to.
Ann Price:So you are a pastor. You're. Teresa's pastor, but I also know you founded this thing called the Urban CEO. Let's talk about that. What motivated you to do that? Tell us kind of what Urban CEO is all about. Maybe your mission.
Dominque Johnson:So here's the thing it has become like my brand now. So people call me the urban CEO, but it actually stands for the urban community empowerment organization and so basically the mission is to equip and empower urban leaders and communities for transformative, sustainable impact. So in short, we want leadership development that leads to community empowerment. That's what I try to tell people. We focus on five areas, which is education, economic empowerment, leadership development, civic engagement, and we're adding a fifth of wellness. So we want to make sure of that.
Dominque Johnson:And I started to be honest with you. I actually started the Urban CEO. At first it was MCO it's the Making Community Enrichment Organization but I felt like I needed to be more true to who I was. So it was more like the Urban Community Empowerment Organization and we started that actually before I even planned the church when I started in my living room.
Dominque Johnson:But as it relates to the Urban CEO, it just really started out with helping the community. We saw issues and we just started serving. They're pretty commonplace now, but like the book bag drives or cookouts and handing out food, I did that even before we started the church. So I really just started to help the community and then, as it grew, it started to come and get more structure around it and I had this thing about leadership development. So, even though we had the five areas we were most known for under our leadership development piece, the Urban Leadership Academy, which is like a seven-month program that meets once a Saturday and we take existing or emerging leaders through a seven-month program and when they come out we want them to not only give them the skill set but the mindset to make an impact in the community.
Ann Price:So, yeah. So which came first, those five pillars or some of the activities and services?
Dominque Johnson:Some of the activities and services, Because when I first started, Doc, I was literally like I see an issue, let's serve. And then you start, even though I had an MBA and stuff already, right, you start like saying, okay, oh, we got to brand this thing, but for me it was just about the service, meeting the need and making an impact. And so then you start saying, well, let's put some shape and form to it so we can be more impactful.
Ann Price:So it sounded like somebody over there is hungry, I'm going to help that person. Or somebody has this need, I'm going to fill that need. That's kind of how you started.
Dominque Johnson:Right, right, and I look back. I actually, when I was in seminary, wrote a paper about it, right, but it was going to be more so. Toward which is my main thing? Leadership development. But what I did? I sat, prayed, thought up about it hey, what are the areas that really impact urban communities? And that's where I got the original form, because I was like you can't move an urban community forward without education and economics. And then there were hidden gems. That's in urban communities. They just need to push.
Dominque Johnson:But I also and I'm not now I engage in the. I also and I'm not now I engage in the civic process. I'm not super, super, super, super political, so to speak, and I do my duty as a vote, let people know. But I also knew, hey, there are things that affect people. They need to be civically engaged. So that's how I came up with the four that would help. And then, of course, with wellness is, like you know, particularly mental wellness and everything that's big in the urban context as well. So that's how I came up with them I love it.
Ann Price:So serve, unify, equip and empower is that?
Dominque Johnson:right, yes, right yeah right, yeah and and they and they. Really, if when you look at the website, they're really like four E's right so you engage the community through service. Right, so we want to be engaging. You encourage unity and collaboration. Right, so we want to always do that. Empower through education, mentoring and coaching. And then I'm also big on equipping. So we equip to inspire change. So that's what we do.
Ann Price:Yeah, yeah, and underneath that is that leadership development piece. And as somebody who works a lot with community-based organizations, people probably get tired of me preaching this all the time. But if your group doesn't look like the community you serve, then you need to do some soul searching here.
Dominque Johnson:That's good. That's good. I think one of the things we do is we do go into the community and first I can say, sir, but now, once we have the leadership point Urban Leadership Academy we have built a brand that kind of attracts, but every night I still go out and see certain people and say, hey, I think there's something you need to be a part of, and we give them a top-notch service. We bring practitioners and scholars other scholar practitioners in that facilitate the classes, and not just me.
Dominque Johnson:So I have people who come in, who practice, like we have marketers, branders who come and who are from urban context. So they also have the skill and the knowledge combined to practice the application and they teach the classes.
Ann Price:Well, let's dig into that a little bit. So you saw this, need you saw these. I would imagine natural community leaders may or may not have gone to college. Community leaders may or may not have gone to college. I would imagine there are a lot of great leaders out there who never had that opportunity or didn't feel called to that or whatever. But that doesn't mean they're not a leader. It sounds like, and you see them and you're like, hey, I got this thing for you right this seven month. I don't know if you call it a program or initiative. What does that seven months look like? Describe it for us. So you call me a program or initiative. What does that seven months look like? Describe it for us.
Dominque Johnson:So you call me, of course, or we do an assessment. There is a fee to it. The first couple of years we kept it at minimum, but we also want people to value it, so we have gotten grants to facilitate it or to run it. But we also say, hey, here's a cost that you have, because sometimes if you don't pay for it, you're not going to. You know if you don't have any skin in the game. So it looks like the first one is called you inch, you incorporate, and so they take a disc assessment. It used to be the Myers-Briggs. They take a disc assessment. They're literally learning about themselves, and so they can say okay, because you are your brand, you are incorporated. Number two we talk about strategic thinking. So they come in and like what is strategy? How do I go from point A to point B? Number three we have a course it's called Get Fiscally Fit. So we want to start also thinking about financing on a personal and corporate level.
Dominque Johnson:For last four days around December, we do measure your marketplace. So whatever you want to do, who's already doing it? Or how do you see who's doing what? So should you start a nonprofit, should you not? Let me pause right here, interject right here. Some people who come through don't necessarily want to be an entrepreneur, they just want to become better at what they're doing. So they may be entrepreneurs. So they might say, hey, I want to stay on my job, but I still want to be better at what I do for when I go out. So we may ask. So we start measuring marketplace.
Dominque Johnson:Five developing your unique brand. Six is building strategic partnerships. We don't necessarily say, we don't say networking, but really we're saying, hey, what partnership do you need? The art of building alliances to move an agenda forward. And we teach in that class it's reciprocity. It's not just about you going, oh, I'm networking, it's also what can you add or bring to somebody. And the seventh class is engaging your community. So we want to take everything that you've learned and now put it towards your community. And how does that look? So that's the seven classes. And we end with the graduation. We give them a little lapel pin and say, hey, you're an urban CEO now.
Ann Price:Oh, I love that. And how long have you been doing this?
Dominque Johnson:We're on our ninth cohort, so this is the ninth year We'll be graduating in. April yeah, nine years. We have over 100 graduates.
Ann Price:Wow, and do you kind of like track what they're doing or have reunions or anything like that?
Dominque Johnson:We do, and it's interesting because even today I would sit here and think I say you know what? I need to have a roundup, because we do need to do a better job, doesn't it? But we do have we got our own private Facebook group, so we try to support each other's events or when we're doing stuff. So so we try to support each other's events or when we're doing stuff, so we do track them. And this year I'm supposed to sit down with one of my graduates and mentees. We're supposed to look at the 10-year impact of the Urban Leadership Academy.
Ann Price:Oh, I love that. I love that. That's awesome. I'm an evaluator, I'm a community psychologist and an evaluator.
Dominque Johnson:So I had to get that question in there. Hey, you know what I I had to get that question in there. Hey, you know what I might need to pull on you, you know what I'm saying.
Ann Price:Yeah, yeah, I bet you and I both know somebody that could help you with that.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah.
Ann Price:Yeah, so yeah, I love the idea of like giving back right. So folks kind of go through this program and it's a professional development, but it's also a personal growth development, and then I hear a give back like and now, what are you going to do for your community?
Dominque Johnson:Right, but that's the whole thing it is. So you're right, that is our niche, right. It's not only professional, it's personal development. So it's personal professional development and at the end of it, how do you impact the community in which you live in? Mm-hmm, yeah, at the end of it, how do? You impact the community in which you live in.
Ann Price:Yeah, and that's a, that's a. I can just see that you know kind of filtering out the community. Oh, that's, that's a beautiful story.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah. So one of the things too, dr Price, is like if you don't mind me using this like when I did my work for my doctorate, it was around Nehemiah, chapter 2, right, and at the end Nehemiah goes. He looks at the city, he says hey, this is what's going on, and what happens is he tells the people here's what the plan is, and the people eventually say let us rise up and build. So that's my goal. I try to equip people so the community itself can build itself. So advocate for itself.
Ann Price:That's the empowerment part Right, right, yeah, and having that financial fortitude right and that leadership. You know, one of my other pet peeves, aside from not involving the community in whatever you know helping people are trying to do, is, well, we just going to, we're going to offer like a financial management class. That's great. If you had any money to manage, that would be awesome.
Dominque Johnson:Right right.
Ann Price:Everybody. We should teach that in high school. You know financial management, but you actually have to have money to manage.
Dominque Johnson:Right. You know that's good. You're so right, because sometimes it becomes an issue of proximity. If I'm not close to an issue, I really don't know how to speak to that issue. So I don't know. I'm pushing through the choir right here talking to you, so if I'm not, if I'm not close to it, I'm coming with all these solutions that that I really don't, that really doesn't matter, right? Um? Yeah, so yeah.
Ann Price:Yeah for sure, which is why I'm always interested in that question about how did you come to be like who you are? Because we could all I say this a lot when I'm out in communities if all we wanted to do was make money, you and I should have majored in, we should have been in IT or internet security, or you know, I don't know something else business.
Dominque Johnson:Right, right, right. And I think the thing of it is even diving deeper into that question. I think it was definitely my, my, my family upbringing and background about. You know, community service, helping people, and no matter how, um, you know before you got in life or whatnot, I always be willing to serve, I always be willing to help. So I think it was like that. You know, I played basketball right. When I was playing basketball in high school and college, I wasn't like the point guard who scored 30, 40 points, I was more like a facilitator, more like the audience made no magic jumps. So magic jumps was like this facilitator, point or pass first point guard. And so for me, I just like to facilitate and I don't mind you scoring. So for me, I like to, I want to see you score. So that's kind of like my philosophy of leadership, Because if I got the ball I could score anyway, but I don't mind passing to help you to score.
Ann Price:Yeah, there's a saying. I don't know if it was Truman. I don't know who said it. Might've been Truman who said that there's no accounting how successful you can be, as long as you don't care who gets the credit.
Dominque Johnson:You don't care who gets the credit Right.
Ann Price:And when you have a heart of service. I think you have to. You have to have that mind, mindset, yeah, so one of the ways you serve is through mentoring. So let's talk about your mentoring programs a little bit.
Dominque Johnson:So what I did? I used to mentor, so I've transitioned into mentoring the mentor now.
Ann Price:Okay, all right, tell me all about that.
Dominque Johnson:So what happens is, when I was younger, I just started out I just always had this thing about pouring into people, and so I would have, I would call these guys, I would pour into them. So even when it became a biblical thing, I would disciple young men, send them off. And so I never, if you want to say, had a particular mentoring program under me. Right, but people knew I did mentoring. So once again I look at mentoring and I mentoring program under me. Right, but people knew I did mentor. So once again I look at mentoring and I do executive coaching. Now I look at that as pouring into the next generation of helping people be all they can be.
Dominque Johnson:So now what has happened is those guys who I've mentored, they now actually have mentoring programs and so now they take what I poured into them and pour it into their programs. And so now they take what I put into them and put into their programs. And so you have people like Jaquez Harris who has an I Am King mentoring program. I'm his mentor. Over 20 years I've been supporting him. He called me dad, now Nick Farley Just different people that I've had. I've been blessed to have a hand in pouring into and challenging them and sometimes correcting them, you know, and things of that nature, seeing them come in the men, in the young men, and now raising their own families, and everything.
Ann Price:So are you guys like in the high schools or colleges? What does that look like?
Dominque Johnson:Yeah, so they are in the high schools and I still go through every now and then. So what I do now, I personally may go through my alma mater. I have access to walk through the halls of my alma mater. I help out on the basketball teams. I do do stuff like that. I might pull one of the guys. Get on the basketball teams.
Dominque Johnson:I do do stuff like that. I might pull one of the guys together on the basketball team so we do that. The I Am King Foundation is in three of the high schools in Macon. I Mime, they do miming, they help young men with miming and things of that nature, and so I do have an organization as well that I don't have it. Some of my urbanos start an organization called making black culture and barbara on duties, so they go into the schools, get free haircut, uh, help with um food pantries and things like that as well so that's the offspring of what I've been doing.
Ann Price:Yeah, gotcha, I gotta, I gotta tell you about this. So I had this little plaque that my coach gave me for Christmas. My coach Um, okay, you'll love this. Uh, oh, apparently Warren Buffett said this. Who knew? Uh, someone sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. Sounds like sounds like you've been planting some trees.
Dominque Johnson:I mean, I just try to sow seeds and they'll come back.
Ann Price:Yeah, that's so funny. You should say that, because years ago I was in a choir at church and we did this quilt and we each had to do our own square and mine was something about being a seed planter, oh, okay. I think some people are called to plant seeds and some people are called to harvest and, yeah, I think you might be a seed planter.
Dominque Johnson:Hey, I actually have an acronym I deal in acronyms a lot, right and so it's for seed. Seed is called someone to serve people in organization. Of course it's kind seed, it's seed. So I want to serve people in an organization. Of course it's kind of got a theological thing. That's all right. Yeah, equip disciples, empower the community, and I want to demonstrate God's love and power daily.
Ann Price:Awesome Seed. So is that kind of like your personal motto, that you that is like keep top in mind. I love that yeah, I love that. So you um urban ceo also. Uh, focuses a lot on community member empowerment. What does that kind of work look like?
Dominque Johnson:well, of course it's the urban ceo, but it's also we partner with my church. So what happens is when Kingdom Life, which is my church, shows up, the urban CEO shows up. So it's one at the left and one at the right. So we may do stuff like we'll partner with the schools again in East Macon and have what we call Raider Fest. So we'll do that. We'll partner with the church with food giveaways or financial literacy classes or things like that. But basically anybody who comes, you know we try to those five areas again education, economic empowerment, leadership, civic engagement and our wellness.
Dominque Johnson:So we have a mental health symposium that we partner with the church. Every year on a Saturday in May it's Mental Health Month. We do a mental health symposium that combines the practicality and the theology of mental health and how we can thrive, and it's open. We try to do those things. When the census was going on civic engagement part, we went around trying to encourage people to do the census and let them know that, hey, the dollars follow the data no one is trying to grab. Ooh.
Ann Price:I love that. Say it again Dollars follow the data. Yes, yeah, a hundred percent.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah, particularly in urban communities or communities of color. You know, and we, you know we do have some right or I guess you say leverage to have being a little suspicious. So we had to let people know like, look, they're not trying to get your data turning their body in this and that this is to help with. So you have to educate people right. So, and even when we're talking about education yes, we're talking about formal education, k through 12, but also educating the community on a, you know, head start is based on census data, things like that.
Dominque Johnson:So just letting people know you know I still believe that education is a powerful tool.
Ann Price:Right, yeah, and you're right, and I think what you're talking about, just to be very explicit about, is the unjust history, particularly in the Black community, around data and data extraction and people using data, and sometimes their cells, without their permission or their knowledge. Yeah, and just really being just some unjust decisions?
Dominque Johnson:Yeah, and sometimes we have to let people know that that number has a name.
Ann Price:That number has a name, it's just not a number.
Dominque Johnson:Yes, You're dealing with somebody's life. Right. Yeah. So we're into that. You know, that type of work, that type of like you say, just empowering the community, right Giving the community. You know it's enlightening in a way where it brings about liberation and advocacy. So one can you, you know have a sense of agency for themselves yep, and we need that more than ever right now right now.
Ann Price:We need that empowerment, we need that community engagement, you know some of us. Some of us are tired right now say it again some of us are tired, all right some of us are tired, all right, some of us are tired right now, but we got to take a breath and use that for good, right.
Dominque Johnson:Right, and that's what we've been trying to do. One of the things I've been looking at is looking at just other social movements that happen particularly in the Black community. That happen particularly in the Black community. So you know, maybe looking at the civil rights movement, looking at the Black Panthers not necessarily taking all their ideas or whatnot, but what was it that really helped them move or have a voice? And so trying to just let us know about the power of collective impact.
Ann Price:Yeah, you know it's so funny. You should say that, ooh, I just got goosebumps Because I was talking to I did another recording yesterday Nina Sabara, who is an amazing evaluator. She's a Filipino American and she kind of she did not kind of she did say that she goes. We need to go back to the civil rights movement and that error and learn Right. We need to learn that, we need to relearn that strategy because we have not been thinking strategically Right Right.
Dominque Johnson:Without this technology that we have today, they were able to be a force. There's an African it's not a proverb, it's going to say saying called Sankofa. So it means to look back, to go forward, that's exactly what she said, only she didn't say it that way, say it again.
Dominque Johnson:It's to look back or to bring from the bad up forward so we can move forward. So I'm not looking back necessarily to go back, but what I'm doing I'm looking to see what's back there so I can bring it up now to help us continue to go where we need to go. Right.
Ann Price:Yeah, I love that.
Dominque Johnson:Because you can learn, I mean from anything, like I said during that time. I mean you had some of this brilliant work that came out of it. Particularly I mean you had some of this brilliant work that came out of it. I can only speak for my culture. I mean I look at other cultures too, but you had Howard Thurman, you had Benjamin Mays, before you get to Dr King. You had all these other intellectuals Think of WEB Du Bois. That debate between him and Booker T Washington.
Ann Price:Exactly.
Dominque Johnson:So you had all this going on. But then you do get to the militant and look at the Black Panthers and why, you know it wasn't just these guys or women, you know, wanting to have guns. It was like, hey, we can't beat up out here by the police. You know what I'm saying, uh-huh. So and even the free lunch program A lot of people don't know that came from the Black Panther Party. You know the free breakfast program.
Ann Price:I think you're about to educate me here.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah. So now the stuff they do at the centers I'm trying to think the gyms, community centers and things like that. The Black Panther Party started that. They started doing free breakfast for the kids in those areas and now it just got adopted on a national scale.
Ann Price:Yeah, yeah, well, yeah, there's some folks that are wanting to take that away too, unfortunately.
Dominque Johnson:Right right.
Ann Price:Yeah. So let me touch back on that mental health piece because this reminded me of something. So my colleague Susan Wolf and I actually did some training with a mental health coalition last year and they were particularly working in the Black community, because they're just one. We don't have enough mental health providers period.
Ann Price:But, we don't have enough mental health providers, period. But we don't have enough mental health providers of color. And you know, good skills are good skills, but sometimes you want somebody who knows where you have been, who lives in the skin that you live in, and can you know kind of embody, understand where you're coming from. And so we did some training with their coalition, because they were all about increasing BIPOC representation, especially mental health representation in the Black community. And if we look at data, we know that some communities are really struggling. If you're struggling with issues of poverty, for example, it's not a big leap to understand that that's stress and that's trauma. So what is that why you guys kind of like, oh, we need to add this pillar too, or what was the motivation there?
Dominque Johnson:Oh, very much. So that's what it was. Very much so, and it was a thing we were dealing with anyway. And you know me being a man of prayer and meditation. I just got out and it hit me like you know what we need to add wellness. But of course it was the mental wellness that got me. But I want us to be holistically healthy. You know, particularly in black communities, we know where the food is and all that, so I don't want to get too far out there. To come back to the mental health, so that's very much so. I have a cousin who deals with mental illness and whatnot. I have to be careful because one of my ministers, cheryl Dean she said Pastor, that's his story. Let him tell his story. I said okay, you're right.
Dominque Johnson:But she said, as long as you don't call tonight, I said I got it so I want to be careful, so personal, as a family dealing with it. And you know, the other day I was talking to a group of guys, black guys, and we really was thinking like, hey, because you said a lot, Dr Ann, and you were so right. We were like if I want to go talk to somebody who looked like me, who are the black male therapists in the area, we could think of one.
Ann Price:Could not think of one.
Dominque Johnson:Could think of one. And I thought later and I said, duh, quentin is the real husband, right, so he's one. But I'm thinking like, okay, it's Quentin, right, but he's great, he's good. And there's probably one, you know, I'm thinking like, okay, it's Quinn, right, but he's great, he's good, and probably one other guy I know. So probably three. My, my, my.
Dominque Johnson:I can tell my own story. He got a little morphed into my friend now, dr Aldrin Tartt. He said that nationally there are less than three percent black male psychologists. So my son now and I, his major psychologist, if I want to go find somebody, this is nationally. So if I want to go find somebody who looks like me to talk to, to help me, it's very rare and of my gender, it's very rare for black men, and so we know that's what black men lead men period, lead women three times more in suicide all this. So you're right. So when you get that, that's a fear that's going to be wide open. I know most people might think it don't. I don't know whether psychologists make, but we need some in our black community of color.
Ann Price:Yeah, yeah, 100%.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah, because I told my son, you know, just thinking economically, I said, son, you go get this and get your degree and they'll master, get a therapy you come back to making.
Ann Price:It may be be a pretty decent, you know yeah, uh, yeah, tell him he's got to go all the way I. I mentor students all the time. I'm like, okay, um, the the money is where the terminal end of the degree is. So he, master of social work, phd not that he's gonna make, he's not gonna make you bank, but there's definitely he'll be able to make a living and there's a need, right, right, because if you take those three mental health workers that you thought about, that took you a while to figure it out, but what is the population that they potentially could serve? I mean, that's thousands of people in just your area, that's just one city right and just think about it.
Dominque Johnson:We literally had to sit there and think not to end we were like, oh, who is it like? And so I'm not saying they probably want to just blow up, but they might need to do some marketing. I'm over here in the corner. I'm here to help you.
Ann Price:Yeah, yeah, exactly yeah, and the whole. You know we could go. We could definitely don't go down the rabbit hole of health outcomes in the Black community alone, like take maternal and child health. You know rates, so many things. This is why, as an evaluator, as someone who uses data to tell people's story not a number, but there's a to your point, there's a story behind that. It's so upsetting when we can't talk about race, right, we can't talk about gender anymore, the data sets are being erased, because then that important information that we need to change those disparities, we don't have access to that right now and that's very upsetting.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah, I was going to ask a question the other day and what I'm happy of is being on this with you today because you're very free to talk about race and equity and things.
Dominque Johnson:I was going to ask a question the other day like what is the role of the black scholar practitioner today? And I'm still thinking on it. But I'm thinking like when you think about you know, once again, when I go through the tradition right, wb Du Bois, like I mentioned earlier, carter G Woodson, you know these people who brought their scholarship to bear on the condition, particular black people, even if you want to name Cornel West, michael Eric Dyson, so the role of scholarship for the practitioner, not just somebody in the ivory tower which I get from you, I think you're a scholar practitioner. I'm afraid the time I'm here talking to you I can see, I feel your passion there. But I think, even though for us, that's why I'm a big proponent of education, particularly for us. So that's why I'm a big proponent of education, you know, particularly for us, you know for African-Americans and whoever, but, like you say, not so I can be elite, but so I can help.
Ann Price:Yeah, and there's. You know there's a pushback now. You know I brought up the you know the erasing of data sets, but there's definitely a pushback or folks making a point rather of you know the community needs to own their own data. This is why we should collect and own our own data so that nobody can take it away.
Ann Price:I still think we need national, you know, we need surveillance data right, so we know what's going on nationally and state-level surveillance data. That's really important, but there's a real there. She is all about communities being part of the whole design process, collecting their data, using their data. It's yeah, it's a great. It's a great story. You'll love it.
Dominque Johnson:Good, so you're going to spur something I might. I might get a little coalition together and collect certain data.
Ann Price:I think you should. I would love that. I would love that.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah.
Ann Price:So what else would you like to talk about? Is there anything we haven't touched on that you'd like to talk about?
Dominque Johnson:I don't know, because you ask great questions, I think, and I think what I really like to do is just say, at the end of the day I know we still probably have some time left is how can we all see the other? How can, just because I've made it somewhere, I've done something, how can I get to a point where I can use some of my resources to help you, not necessarily enable you, but also empower you to come alive, to come forward? I think that there needs to be a sense of accountability, truth, but also having people to work on their purpose. I heard you say you have a coach, so a lot of time I'm dealing with people still trying to find their purpose where they're walking. That happens in the narrow ground stuff, so that's what I'm dealing with. A lot of times it's helping, once again, those people who know they got the potential, but really trying to figure out what's it all about, you know, and what I'm called to do.
Ann Price:Yeah, I'm glad you brought up the coaching, because I meant to go back to that, because you said you're doing is it executive coaching or I don't know. If that's what you call it, tell us a little bit about that.
Dominque Johnson:So one of my seminary professors, dr Joseph Gimiti. He has a coach of practice called Life Forming. I went through his program, was trained under him, and so I do some one-on-ones. At times I have some clients I might do some one-on-ones. I go into schools. I say I'm a pastor. I say I'm a pastapreneur, a knowledgepreneur Right, I am the urban CEO, so we're going to make it work. So I do one on one. I go in and I do staff development or training, and so that is part of my playing point guard. I just want to see everybody score. Right, I want to see everybody score. So number one the community gets better.
Dominque Johnson:One of the things I tell people when they come through Urban Leadership Academy or come in contact with the Urban CEO. This is not just about you and your band. It's about you making the community better, Right? Oh, let me explain. I apologize.
Ann Price:Bag is an urban colloquial term that means money. Oh, gotcha Good to know.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah. So somebody say I'm after the bag, I'm chasing the bag. They talking about a payday or money, all right.
Ann Price:Thank you for that. I appreciate that. Hey, I've been asking a couple of rapid fire questions lately.
Dominque Johnson:What is giving you hope these days? My children. Let me say this, let me explain why. I know it's rapid fire. My children are amazingly resilient for what they went through, what they've gone through, and they still keep going and still keep their grades up. They're amazing resilience. So I'll say that and, of course, my faith, yeah.
Ann Price:Awesome.
Dominque Johnson:So what's the one piece of advice you have for community leaders in these trying times? I would definitely say keep you in a quiet and personal devotional time. Be holistically healthy. Surround yourself with good people and have a good life.
Ann Price:It's funny you should say that because I have this habit tracker at the bottom of my daily thing, so I have, in no certain order, yoga, pilates, track points. It's Weight Watchers. Uh, take a walk. Read prayer time and happiness.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah, I think the work we do is is so important and can be so heavy that we have to come away from it at least one day. Like I would say, like the Bible tells us, like the faith tells us, and that takes trust, that takes faith to walk away from it knowing that God can handle it. Yeah, exactly.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah, we want to continue to do it, and so I usually use this example. I said you know the average chick the chick filet make three to four times as much, if not more, as a McDonald's in the same area, and they close one day a week. I said you can do it in six. I don't know where he made it, but yeah, sometimes you have to have fun. Take your Sabbath. I say you can do it in seats. That's kind of the way he made it, but yeah, sometimes you have to have fun.
Ann Price:Take your Sabbath.
Dominque Johnson:Is what I hear you say Take your Sabbath. It'll be alright yeah. Yeah.
Ann Price:I love that when you come back.
Dominque Johnson:It's going to be there.
Ann Price:Yeah, that is yeah, that is very true. That is very true. Well, I have so enjoyed this conversation. Thank you so much For coming on. That is very true. That is very true, well, I have so enjoyed this conversation.
Dominque Johnson:Thank you so much for coming on.
Ann Price:I appreciate it. Before I let you go, I got to ask you the magic question when you look to the future, what community possibilities do you see?
Dominque Johnson:Oh, that's good. Oh, that's good. The possibility that I see us actually coming together and helping each other be all that God created us to be, that's what keeps me going. If I don't see that, I can't keep going.
Ann Price:Yeah, I gotcha. You know. My mantra is God is God and I am not.
Dominque Johnson:I love it.
Ann Price:We can only do the part that we are called to play, but we have to play that part.
Dominque Johnson:You know I'm going to have to use that one. You know what they say. I'll give you credit the first time. Then somebody say it the second time.
Ann Price:The third time I use it, it's mine. You may have it.
Dominque Johnson:Dr Johnson. How can people learn more about the Urban CEO or get in contact with you? So you can go to wwwtheurbanceoorg? You can follow me on Instagram or at the Urban CEO. Follow me on Instagram at the urban CEO that I'm at. The urban CEO Facebook is just Dominique Johnson. You'll see me, uh, bald head guy, you know. You'll see me uh, put making Georgia. Uh, you www at a kingdom lifeorg, that's it. But I G may be quick. You shoot me a personal. Uh, I think you can chat on IG now so you can do that and I will give you my email if anybody wants. It's djohnson at akindomlifeorg. That's church wise. Or djohnson at theurbanceoorg or djohnson at theurbanceoorg.
Ann Price:Awesome. Well, Dr Johnson, I so appreciate your time. It's been a great conversation.
Dominque Johnson:Yeah, I appreciate you, and I appreciate you for letting me be me talking about theological stuff. I appreciate it.
Ann Price:Absolutely. Hi everybody, thank you for joining me on today's episode of Community Possibilities. I hope you have found it helpful. You know these are stressful times we're living in and nonprofit leaders need all the support they can get. Be sure, and check out our website, communityevaluationsolutionscom. I have so many free and low-cost resources for you, from our course Powerful Evidence to logic, model templates and theories of change and coalition assessments all sorts of things that you might need as a community leader during this trying time. I hope you find the resources helpful. I hope you find the podcast helpful and, if you do, would you please like and share this episode? That helps get more ears on our podcast. Thank you so much and I'll see you next time. Thank you.