Marrion Johnson is a Black, queer storyteller and communications strategist based out of Oakland, California. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Marrion uses storytelling to speak to the complex realities facing Black communities, including displacement, queer and trans identities and Black Joy.
Through his work, Marrion supports nonprofit organizations and small businesses, centering racial equity and LGBTQ justice, by helping them uplift and share compelling stories online. He serves as the strategic communications + programs lead for Khafra & Company, a dream incubator in Oakland, investing in communal actualization. Marrion also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and African American Studies from Northwestern University.
Marrion has called Oakland home for three years now and looks forward to continuing to building and growing with community everyday.
Why are you a strategist for good?
“When I began offering communications support to nonprofit organizations and small businesses, rooted in Black liberation and racial equity, I realized I found my calling. Witnessing the impact that my intentionally crafted words had on uplifting the truth of organizers, policy advocates and healers was deeply humbling. In my work, I’m fortunate enough to learn from the wisdom of the folks I support. I’ve never felt this fulfilled doing work in any other context.”
What’s your superpower?
“I’m really good at listening to the stories folks tell and reshaping them in a way that maximizes their impact. It probably comes from years of summarizing and analyzing text in school, but I love hearing my clients go on and on about their successes, their challenges, their joys (holding nothing back) and being tasked with putting together compelling narratives that does their work justice. Almost as good as flying.”
Who is your intellectual crush?
“I’m generally in love with most things Ta-Nehisi Coates writes. He’s got that perfect mixture of sharp philosophical analysis coupled with relatable Black common-sense thinking that makes his work hit home every time. He’s definitely an intellectual crush.”
