Melissa Johnson Email & Phone Number

Brooklyn, New York, United States

Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), NY Organizer • Manages education programming on police to deportation pipeline and oversees staff and interns to produce Webinars, Know Your Rights (KYR) workshops and program and policy consultation for community, organizations, coalitions, colleges and student groups and elected officials increasing chapter network to almost 200 NYS supporters • Co-directs Brooklyn mutual aid initiative distributing backpacks and care items supporting 300+ Black asylum seekers• Leads state and city policy campaigns with allied coalitions around Protect Black Migrants, Housing4All, Divest Reinvest campaigns at NY council hearings, press conferences, and engagement with elected officials and policy-makers -> increasing community awareness, council engagement and supporting new legislation • Engages national and international media, shifting narrative messaging on Black migrant, undocumented and asylum seeker experiences -> resulting in 5 major publication features over 2 years (via The Guardian; Prism Reports; Documented NY)• Administers state messsaging and outreach via in-person and digital communication -> mobilizing 6 large-scale community power-building events in 3 years

Greater New York City Area

Jamaican Consulate Services Officer, Consulate General of Jamaica, New York, NY • Administered Foreign Services support to Jamaican Diaspora, Foreign Nationals & Allied Nations for Jamaican Government• Facilitated daily adjudication of Immigration Documentation: Passports, Citizenship, Visa Services and deployment of Emergency Travel Documents for (33 U.S. States) and (2 Allied Countries), processing up to 500 documents weekly • Provided monthly operational assessments for Deputy Consul to increase workflow, productivity and case completion• Empowered US civil society groups with evidence to drive advocacy and opportunities for Jamaican Nationals• Conducted daily outreach to advance Immigration document issue awareness and reduce Detention & Deportation• Managed Summer Youth Employment Program increasing admin capacity and supporting young professional development

Greater New York City Area

Program Director, Khan Foundation NYC, Queens, NY: • Responsible for supervising program operations, student success, family support and staff management resulting in growth of College Access Program throughout three site locations in NYC servicing 100 students• Defined organization mission and strategized programmatic goals to understand student needs and advance student success• Created and implemented signature and sustainable curriculum-based programming for KF three core programs: College Access, Career Readiness, and Young Women’s Leadership and Education, optimizing capacity to meet educational gaps• Established monitoring and evaluation program assessment tools to measure program outcomes for yearly goals/success • Administered Donor Solicitation, Relationship Building and Donor Gift Tracking Coordination increasing funding support• Developed programmatic partnerships with NYC high schools, Department of Education Officials, National College Admissions Reps, community based organizations and other non-profits to provide effective college and career readiness resources for KF students, in order to leverage multiple education & career opportunities to maximize student achievement • Co-designed content for marketing and promotional campaigns to increase school awareness, student and family participation, and donor support throughout NYC, where driving social presence increased City & State-wide awareness• Ensured successful college fit and placement at top U.S. colleges and over $330,000 in scholarship awards for 100 NYC KF high school students in 4 years• Secured almost $200,000 exclusively for student programming and resources through donor giving initiatives and large-scale fundraising events over 4 years

Greater New York City Area

Rockefeller Foundation & NYU Marron Institute: Team Consultancy as Graduate Student Researcher working on International Cities’ Spatial Construction & Connectivity in relation to Economic Inclusiveness. Intervention: Analysis of existing quantitative indicators to identify issues of economic progress in order to assess city inclusivity with community perspective. Deliverables: Literature Review; Logical Framework, New Indicators & Questionnaire; Concept Map; Pilot Study Proposal.

Greater New York City Area

Women's Economic Empowerment: Research Team Consultancy as Graduate Student Researcher working on Women’s Rights as Human Rights education campaign using participatory research methods to observe NYC young adults perspectives in order to help UN Women understand the contextual realities and constraints affecting the concept of human rights and its use in relation to their empowerment mechanisms CEDAW & CSW. Intervention: Engaging young adults’ awareness through social media platforms. Deliverables: Survey to collect quantitative data; Focus group to collect qualitative data; Campaign development, implementation & assessment Recommendations.

Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida Area

• Interned for Lead Attorney in Family Law and Criminal Defense cases• Worked on client cases, recorded trial documents and conducted research on legal precedence for trial preparation• Assisted Lead Counsel with client interview, trial prep and litigation and mediation proceedings

Greater New York City Area

• Worked directly with Integrated Marketing Team to strategize Essence Branded In-book and Live action programs• Created independent marketing campaigns for the “Young, Black, and Amazing Initiative” targeted to women ages 18-25• Participated in advancing off-site Marketing/Sales Meetings with Major Magazine Ad/Sales Clients

Master’S Degree, International Affairs- (Concentration) Governance & Rights, Gpa 3.5

Activities and Societies: (Relevant Course Work): UN & World Order; Advocacy & Global Governance; Monitoring & Evaluation; Qualitative.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Double Major: Sociology & Women Studies, Minor: Dance

Activities and Societies: Co-President Distinguished Women of Color Collective (DWOCC); Senior Admissions Intern; Student Assistant.