Michelle Johnson
Director of Administration
Michelle Johnson, R CITY’s Director of Apprenticeships, has nearly 20 years’ experience leading urban youth-focused nonprofit programs. Johnson graduated from University of Northern Iowa with her bachelor’s degree in History Education and Iowa teaching license in secondary education. In 2006, Johnson began serving in St. Louis, Missouri with Restore St. Louis through its Harambee youth tuckpointing apprenticeship program. In 2014, Johnson and her husband relocated to Chicago to bring the Harambee model to West Humboldt Park. In 2017, the Harambee Chicago program became part of the R CITY organization and Johnson joined the director team of R CITY. She has served as Director of Apprenticeships, Communications, and Administration.
What do you love about R CITY?
I love how a whole family can be engaged and loved through our programs. I absolutely love how our hardworking teens blow away almost any stereotype you could hold about teenagers- they strive for excellence, they care for each other, they care deeply about their community and making it a better place. I love that Harambee Citybuilders get the opportunity to restore what's broken in their own neighborhood.
What is something/someone that helped you move along the path from cradle to career?
I’m so thankful for the exposure and experience I got outside of my college classes mostly through InterVarsity that gave me a heart for using my talents for kingdom purposes, as well as my parents who have been incredibly supportive as I’ve tried to follow Jesus into difficult places.