How to Create Change Without Burning Out with Alencia Johnson

Summary

Balanced Black Girl: How to Create Change Without Burning Out with Alencia Johnson

Release Date: March 11, 2025

In this compelling episode of Balanced Black Girl, host Balanced Black Girl welcomes Alencia Johnson, a dynamic author and advocate, to discuss her latest book and explore strategies for creating meaningful change without succumbing to burnout. The conversation delves into the delicate balance between personal well-being and societal activism, offering listeners invaluable insights into maintaining resilience amidst chaos.

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1. Navigating a Turbulent Start to 2025

Alencia Johnson opens up about the challenging onset of 2025, marked by political upheaval and lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. She expresses a sense of overwhelm but highlights significant personal milestones that provide solace.

Alencia Johnson [00:40]: "2025 has literally started with a bang. ... putting a book out is extremely hard."

Despite the prevailing despair, Alencia finds grounding in achievements like releasing her book and celebrating cultural victories, such as the Eagles winning the Super Bowl and Beyoncé securing Album of the Year.

2. Balancing Personal Joy with Collective Challenges

The discussion shifts to the importance of finding personal joy as a means to sustain oneself amidst broader societal struggles. Alencia emphasizes that nurturing joy is essential for fulfilling one's purpose without burning out.

Alencia Johnson [01:49]: "Joy does that. The good things in life, like, that happens."

She draws parallels to the Harlem Renaissance, illustrating how periods of intense cultural expression coexist with significant societal tensions. This balance between joy and struggle is crucial for advancing community resilience.

3. The Power of Creativity and Storytelling

Alencia underscores the significance of storytelling and creativity in fostering empathy and driving social change. She highlights how art and culture have historically been tools of resistance and empowerment.

Alencia Johnson [06:35]: "Storytelling is the tool that we have that doesn't actually require money."

She praises Beyoncé’s "Cowboy Carter" as a trailblazing work that sparks important conversations about the roots of American music and its deep connections to black culture.

4. Embracing Creativity Through Improv

Discussing personal growth, Alencia shares how participating in improv classes helped her unlock her creativity and build confidence. This experience was pivotal in helping her overcome personal barriers and embrace her creative identity.

Alencia Johnson [14:59]: "I actually went and took improv classes. Love."

Improv became a medium for her to practice vulnerability, allowing her to experiment with being silly and learning to embrace imperfections.

5. Navigating Career Pivots with Confidence

Alencia reflects on her non-linear career path, which includes roles in politics, corporate America, and advocacy. She emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and open to new opportunities, even when the path isn't clearly defined.

Alencia Johnson [31:07]: "The thread through of really just connecting the dots in these unusual ways has been what I gravitate towards in my career."

Her experiences demonstrate that embracing uncertainty and being willing to pivot can lead to fulfilling and impactful careers.

6. Disrupting the Self for Greater Impact

A central theme of the conversation is the concept of "disrupting self"—challenging personal limitations and societal expectations to unlock one's full potential. Alencia discusses how confronting personal trauma and embracing authentic self-expression are foundational to effective advocacy.

Alencia Johnson [55:29]: "The first thing that they can do, it is the hardest thing, but it literally is the thing that will unlock so many others is to confront the thing that they have been running from."

This introspective work enables individuals to engage more deeply and sustainably in their efforts to create change.

7. Building Healthy Boundaries and Community Support

Alencia highlights the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive relationships that allow for vulnerability and growth. She shares personal anecdotes about how meaningful friendships have provided strength and encouragement during transformative periods.

Alencia Johnson [25:44]: "She has constantly been like a rock in that. And I could start opening up more with her and realizing, okay, this is a safe space."

Establishing boundaries and seeking out trustworthy companions are essential for maintaining mental and emotional well-being while striving for societal progress.

8. Practical Steps to Strengthen the Inner Disruptor

To empower listeners, Alencia offers actionable advice on building resilience and fostering change from within. She advocates for small, consistent practices such as journaling, trying new creative outlets, and setting personal boundaries.

Alencia Johnson [55:29]: "Figure out your creative outlet, because, again, that will, like, get rid of the roadblocks. It'll also make you feel more liberated and free."

These practices help cultivate the courage and confidence needed to effect change without overwhelming oneself.

9. Embracing Self-Care as a Radical Act

Alencia posits that self-care is not merely a personal luxury but a radical and essential act of resistance against systemic oppression. By prioritizing their own well-being, black women can sustain their efforts to support and uplift their communities.

Alencia Johnson [39:14]: "The most radical, disruptive thing that I can do is actually take care of myself."

This perspective reframes self-care as a foundational strategy for long-term advocacy and community leadership.

10. Conclusion: Encouragement for Emerging Disruptors

In closing, Alencia inspires listeners to embrace their inner disruptor by starting with self-reflection and gradually extending their efforts outward. She emphasizes that every small act of courage contributes to a larger movement for social justice and personal fulfillment.

Alencia Johnson [60:20]: "I hope that people see themselves in this book and how to navigate this moment and how to navigate themselves while also navigating the world."

Her message serves as a call to action for individuals to harness their creativity, maintain their well-being, and persist in their quest for meaningful change.

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Key Takeaways:

• Balance is Crucial: Maintaining personal joy and well-being is essential for sustained activism and societal impact.
• Creativity as a Tool: Storytelling and creative expression are powerful mechanisms for fostering empathy and driving change.
• Embrace Flexibility: A non-linear career path can lead to unique and impactful opportunities; adaptability is key.
• Self-Disruption: Challenging personal barriers enables deeper and more effective advocacy.
• Support Systems: Building and maintaining supportive relationships enhances resilience and growth.
• Self-Care is Radical: Prioritizing personal health and well-being is foundational for effective community support and leadership.

Alencia Johnson’s insights provide a roadmap for creating change in a sustainable and fulfilling manner, encouraging listeners to nurture themselves while striving to make a positive impact on the world.

Transcript

[Host]

Alencia, welcome to the show.

[Alencia Johnson]

Thanks for having me.

[Guest]

I'm so excited to have you. We met at Afrotech at the end of 2024, and right after I met you, I was like, can you please come on my podcast? The timing worked out perfectly to come just in time for you to release your new book.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah.

[Guest]

This is. This episode is being released on Pub Day.

[Alencia Johnson]

Okay.

[Guest]

So happy Pub Day.

[Alencia Johnson]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Host]

From the future.

[Alencia Johnson]

The book right here. Yes.

[Guest]

We'll make sure it's linked in the show notes, and we're going to definitely talk all about it, but I know we've been talking about this for a while, so I'm excited to finally have.

[Alencia Johnson]

So excited to be here. Yeah.

[Guest]

2025 has been off to an interesting start for most of us. How are you feeling?

[Alencia Johnson]

Oh, my gosh, it is a whirlwind. It is. It's interesting because, obviously, like, my background is politics, and there's always a chance that your side doesn't win, but just the amount of despair that has just been ushered in. And also, to be honest, like, I think people are still feeling the remnants from COVID and just. There's just so much happening. So 2025 has literally started with a bang. And, like, I'm trying to get my bearings straight, but also, putting a book out is extremely hard. So there have been some highlights, like putting the book out as a highlight. The Eagles winning the super bowl as a highlight. Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce. But then there's also a whole lot of, like, despair and uncertainty. That's just been really hard to, like, get your grounding and your footing.

[Guest]

Mm. Yeah. I have felt this sometimes kind of juxtaposition between, okay, I have things in my life personally that are, like, great and sources of joy that I'm so grateful for. And then collectively, there's all of these things happening, which I could imagine you're probably feeling, too, with having this book in the world, which. Congratulations. That's an amazing accomplishment, and I'm sure something that you're so proud of. And then also, you know, it's like having space for both.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah. You know, that's something that I also had to wrestle with. And I actually had to wrestle with it coming from the space of when a lot of, like, personality, professional things are going really well, but, like, personal things are not, whether illnesses in family, breakdown of relationships, and then also what's happening in the world. And as I was writing the book, there's a part in it where I talk about just having joy and how important it is to do that. And that helps us fill up our cup in order to face the world around us, right? Because I think so often we are just trying to limp through the world and show up in our purpose, which I think our purpose is connected to advancing society. But we're not fully whole people. And not necessarily talking about the healing part, but just like, having filled up our cup and like, Joy does that, right? The good things in life, like, that happens. And I was also was talking about this with a friend who I live in the DMV area. And obviously a lot of federal workers are really concerned about whether or not they're going to have a job. And these are people who've been in the government for decades, right? No matter who's the president or who has is in power in the administration. And she's like, it's just so interesting because people are just, like, moving throughout the world, going to events and, you know, enjoying life. And this is all happening kind of in the background. I said, well, it's not really happening in the background. If you think about, like, the Harlem Renaissance, we revere the 1920s and what was happening in Harlem, you know, just a couple of blocks up here from. From where we're filming. But at the same time, there was still very real. Like, the KKK was running rampant in the 1920s, right? Like the President of the United States was embracing the kkk. So that duality is always going to be there. But I. I also call in the Harlem Renaissance, because if it wasn't for that joy, if it wasn't for that creativity, that expression, the personal love that we're feeling, whether romantic or friendship or family or community, or just things happening where you can take care of yourself financially. So many of our ancestors wouldn't have been able to show up against a world that wanted to crush us. Right. And so I try to remind myself of that when I do feel those moments of guilt of like, oh, my gosh. But this is something amazing happening to me right now. While the world seems to be crumbling.

[Guest]

What have been some of the things that have been bringing you joy or filling your cup lately?

[Alencia Johnson]

Mm. Well, I watch Real Housewives a lot.

[Guest]

Any favorite cities?

[Alencia Johnson]

Oh, it's so interesting. Cause I used to. I used to love Potomac, but it's kind of taken a turn that doesn't really represent the D and B girls. I like the mix up of. I've been. I've watched Beverly Hills from day one with, like, Camille Grammer and, like, all of that and Lisa Vanderpump. But I Love with Garcelle and Bose. I'm now getting into Roni. Like, the new. The new seasons. Salt Lake City are my girls. I love Salt Lake City, especially because, like, they're Mormon girl. They're trying to figure out their faith in, like, this new world. And as a black Christian woman, I'm also trying to just show a new space of how you can still be a person that loves Jesus and also, you know, live your life. Those things are bringing me joy. Spending more time with my family and my friends, which I used to put on the back burner for my career, and now I spend so much more time doing that with my family, friends. So those things are bringing me joy. And also the fact that Beyonce finally won album of the year.

[Guest]

Absolutely.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah.

[Guest]

I mean, it's. Well, now when this episode's coming out, it's going to be March, but, yeah, we're recording in February. So far in February, we've had some good wins.

[Alencia Johnson]

We've had great ones.

[Guest]

Important.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah. Thank you, Kendrick. Jalen hurts. Thank you. Academies are finally getting it right with Beyonce, which I actually talk about Beyonce Cowboy Carter in the book through talking about how she's a trailblazer through the lens of that album.

[Guest]

Absolutely.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah.

[Guest]

Most definitely. I'm excited to see more from her, too, with this tour.

[Alencia Johnson]

Oh, my gosh.

[Guest]

What happens?

[Alencia Johnson]

Me too. Like, I don't even know which city I want to go to yet. Right. Because we're recording this before the presales. But I'm so excited.

[Guest]

Most definitely. And I think what I admire so much about that body of work and so many other things that I've seen right now, whether it's books I've read or just the ability to take risks, to take risks creatively. I love that you had also mentioned the Harlem Renaissance as an important time of joy also. The art of that time was so important, and in a time where art is not being invested in as much, where people may be afraid to make their art, I think it becomes even more important, especially important to amplify and to encourage people to make. And it's something that I definitely want to invest more in.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah, look, I mean, storytelling is the tool that we have that doesn't actually require money. Right. Sure. Money helps us get it out to more people, but our creativity, these stories like that is something that we innately have. That is something that, as much as you train, ChatGPT, or whatever AI model you use cannot take away from the humanity that you have that you're putting into your art, which is why I think art and culture is such a key part of any movement, any resistance, because it is the storytelling, it's the humanizing, it is expanding our capacity for empathy and seeing other people. And it's why when you look at particularly our ancestors, there was such a parallel and correlation between what was happening to us, you know, on the front of all of our rights and social justice issues, while also all of this creativity and black. And I want to intentionally say brilliance versus excellence, because I think sometimes we get caught up in being excellent and having to be the best when pressure, it's a lot of pressure. But our brilliance is our own standards, but our expertise, right? And talking about Beyonce, she takes risk. And she, as I say in the book, she lets other people catch up. She puts her creation out there and lets other people catch up. And as a member of the Beehive from day one, I mean, I remember when she first went out on her own and there were things that she did that people were like, what exactly are you doing, Beyonce? That's like, I don't know if we like that or not, but she was like, look, this is the vision and you all can catch up. And I'm sure so many of our great storytellers, with whatever mechanism they use also had a lot of that, but they just kept telling their stories, right? And the storytelling and the creativity that comes from a place of just showcasing our humanity. I mean, Kendrick Lamar's story that he was telling at the super bowl halftime, we will be talking about that for years.

[Guest]

Absolutely.

[Alencia Johnson]

Because that is a story, right? I mean, we're still talking about the Harlem Renaissance, right? We're still, you know, and Beyonce. The thing about Cowboy Carter, it's making us have a conversation about the roots of what has become America's music, country music, and it's still rooted in blackness, right? So I think our power and our stories cannot be minimized. And that creativity I want. All of us are. I think all of us are creators. And it took a lot of peeling about the layers for me to actually be comfortable with saying that I'm a creative person, but I think we are all creators. And that is the tool that quite frankly, money can't replace or buy. Foreign.

[Host]

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[Guest]

I'm curious about your journey with creativity. What was that moment where you finally were able to comfortably acknowledge the creative in you?

[Alencia Johnson]

You know, I had spent so much, like so many of us as black women growing up feeling like you have to fit into a certain mold and your parents raise you in a certain way. And part of that is, you know, I got to a place of realizing the way that your parents tell you, ask you to show up in the world isn't because they want to stifle you, but they understand how the world is looking at black bodies. Right. It's a protection. And so letting go of some of that and then realizing that the mold and the stereotypes that society wanted to put me into just weren't working for me, especially as, you know, my. The grounding of my careers around politics. But I knew that there were ways to engage in politics that weren't just the same cookie cutter way that most people do, right? And what was really hindering my creativity or leaning into storytelling and just being creative in the ways in which I express the work that I'm doing was actually taking peeling back some layers of no longer being a people pleaser, no longer fitting into other people's expectations of who I am. And the roadblocks in that were some of my childhood trauma, some of the things that I hadn't worked through. Which is why the book starts with disruption of self. Because the only way for me to really get into my purpose was to peel back the layers. And eventually you peel back the layers of, like, this job didn't work out, this relationship didn't work out, this friendship didn't work out. And then you're like, oh, wait, now I'm left with myself, and now I'm looking in the mirror, and to get there, I've got to go deep. And so when I start to do that, I slowed down more, and I had more time to just, like, imagine and dream and actually believe that something can be different and, like, feel so convicted in an idea that if this person says no, it doesn't mean that the idea isn't good. It just means that you're not the person that I have to do build this with. Right. And so that was really, really powerful for me to just go through that transformation. And part of one practical thing that I did, and I talk about it in the book a little bit. I actually went and took improv classes. Love.

[Guest]

Yes.

[Alencia Johnson]

And, like, I took level one, and then I was like, well, I want to do level two. And then we had a whole graduation show, and I was so much more free, and I was more confident in myself and could thread through the connections of all of the things that I love. I love music, I love the arts. And I also love, obviously, doing good in the world and making sure we all know we have a role in all of this. And so how do I bring them together? And so really taking the time to sit with myself and work through a lot of the things that you talk about on this podcast. And I'm so, like, grateful for voices like yours doing that. Cause it's giving us, as Black women, especially, the permission to peel back those layers and get into that creative person that I think we all are. Like, you may not be a writer. Like, I've been writing more, and at some point I might do stories a different way. But, like, we all have some sort of artistic expression that is just waiting and burning for us to get out in the world. Which is also why I wrote a chapter about getting back to your childhood. Because we were all artists then. Right. We were all super creative. And it actually disheartens me that when people talk about taking funding out of schools, they start with the arts and those creative outlets. As we are older now, we're entrepreneurs, that side of our brain has to be activated in order for us to be successful professionally. And then also reimagine how we could show up in our personal life, too.

[Guest]

Oh, absolutely. Well, first, I love that you used improv class as an example and that that was one of the things that helped you tap back into your creativity.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah.

[Guest]

Because I think that there's so much to be said about letting yourself be silly. And it's been something that I've been looking for a lot more, even with this show. And, you know, I'm making changes to it and changing things up a little bit to be a little bit more fun, to just have a little bit more levity and just lightness to it. Because I think it's something that can be hard that we need to seek out.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah.

[Guest]

And just letting ourselves be silly and be goofy. And improv classes are such an amazing tool because they kind of teach you how to think on your feet and not worry so much about what other people think. That it's like just an incredible.

[Alencia Johnson]

I mean, like, I was a goofball in improv, and I don't think I'm funny, but some of my friends are like, you know, you're pretty funny. And some of my friends are like, girl, no, your jokes are really corny. But you know what? Either way, now I have the confidence to tell a joke or be silly, but also to, like, try in public and, like, fail in public or, you know, learn in public. Let's not say fail, right? Like, learn in public and then just. I've been around so many people who are just so serious, and I'm like, what is wrong with you? Like, I don't want to work with you. I don't want to build with you. And if we have to go do this hard thing, I need us to be inspired. But there's also just, like, the. The bare minimum reason to just be able to be silly is just. It's a stress relief. And I think joy is one of our divine rights. And, yeah, there's nothing like getting on stage and making a fool of yourself. And, like, my friends were at the show too, and they. And I will be honest, they were all, like, more amazed that, like, I actually went and did something like that. But I landed a few jokes. Like, there was. There were some that hit, oh, yeah. I don't think I have a career in stand up, but there were some that hit.

[Guest]

Still, it's a good exercise. And I even think coming back to our creativity is sometimes such a practice in releasing the idea of good or needing to be good at something, which I know I struggle with all the time, is like, I don't want to do something, especially if people see it and it's not good or if I'm not the best or if I'm not immediately good at it. But I think when we do learn to release that, that's when we can open up to so much more.

[Alencia Johnson]

Totally. I mean, that's. That was part of my book writing process of there's so many scraps and drafts on Google Docs and Scribble, like, so many different places that there are things that didn't make it to the final book, but none of those would have. None of what's in the book would have gotten there without getting rid of that block. Right. I think it's also why I'm sure you're familiar with the Artist way, which I start, I did it for, like, A week. And I was like, this is a lot. Like, I would rather actually get a little more sleep than wake up and do these pages. But I do believe in journaling. I do believe in, like, mindless journaling as well, and all of that. And it does remove the roadblock. So I am a person. I'm an only child, so I am used to entertaining myself. So I dance around my apartment all the time by myself. I, like, sing at the top of my lungs. I do a lot of goofy things just to, like, get that energy out so that I can really focus on what actually needs to be given to the world. And, yeah, let things be bad. It's actually okay.

[Guest]

There's so much freedom in it.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah.

[Guest]

Every time I do something kind of poorly. Yeah, I do tend to feel a little bit more free.

[Alencia Johnson]

You feel more free, and then you're also just more confident. And like, I. I referenced in the book this. I was. I didn't actually know it happened until I had to talk about it on TV one time on abc. But Flava Flav did sing the national anthem at a Milwaukee Bucks game, and they wanted my response to it. And I was like, you know what? At least he had the courage to try. And all of everybody else that has something to say about it, they're sitting in the bleachers and, like, I. That just, like, changed my point of reference of, like, you know what? At least I have the courage to try. It doesn't work out this time, that's fine. But, like, actual actually trying and putting it out there, that is the transformative part.

[Guest]

Most definitely. Yeah. It's. It kind of reminds me on TikTok. I spend way too much time on TikTok. But sometimes in the comments, if someone will post, like, a quirky video or something, the response from people is like, you know what?

[Host]

Hell, yeah.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah.

[Guest]

Just like, you do that, you do.

[Alencia Johnson]

That, and we need more of that. Right? Like that. And that takes courage. And then, I mean, you'll be. When you're able to do those things courageously, just imagine what else you can do. Right. If you're able to really, like, open yourself up to be seen. Which that's part of what this is, Right? And it's something that I have told. I say all the time now, like, I only want to be in relationship with people. Friendship, romantic, whatever. I only wanna be in relationship with people who, like, are gonna let me be fully seen. And a lot of putting your creativity out there is the courage to fully be seen.

[Guest]

It's such a practice in vulnerability. Even a few minutes ago, when we were talking about disruptors, like using Beyonce as an example, using Kendrick Lamar and his performance as an example, oftentimes what comes with that is you do something and people are not going to get it right away. In fact, most people probably aren't going to get it. But that's the point.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah.

[Guest]

But I do think that that can also be what's really scary for people and what can prevent people from being the disruptors that they are kind of meant to be.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah.

[Guest]

How do you recommend people get through that or become more comfortable?

[Alencia Johnson]

Disrupting, that's really challenging, but it is really rewarding. And when you're saying that, it makes me think about when I started out on this journey of really disrupting myself because, like, I've been able to disrupt the world. Like, that's just innately part of who I am. It's my work. Right. That's, like, the easier thing for me. But, like, disrupting myself and standing up for myself and going after certain things that I want, even the things that, like, other people may not understand. Right. Like the ability, the courage to be misunderstood, basically, that was really challenging for me because friendships started changing my work and professional life started changing a bit. And I had a lot of people. As I was navigating, honestly, like, a professional shift, there were a lot of people in my life who were like, well, no, that's not what you should do. Or, like, wait, what are you trying to do? Like, you can't articulate it. You can't explain what you do. And it did make me feel as if maybe I'm on the wrong path. Right. Maybe this isn't what I'm supposed to be doing. But people can only understand what they can see, and sometimes it is on us to actually be that thing. Right. And knowing that we are the trailblazer, knowing that we can actually make this path a little bit easier for other people, that can help you stay on it. Right. Which is why I talked about, you know, how to navigate as a trailblazer like Beyonce. But I also remember going through this personally, and I called my mom and I was really, like, upset with it, Upset with some friends about their response to just the career change that I wanted to make at a time years ago. And she was like, I just want to remind you that God gives you the vision and shares it very clearly with you and may not share all of it with you, but shares it very vividly and clear with you. And you are only supposed to have people around you that Will support it even if they don't see any of it. And so it made me think about who is around me, who are my close confidence, what can I share with them? Because I know we want to like tell all of our friends everything, but like, they may not fully get it and that's actually okay. And so I had to like reorient my mind around that. And then I also had to have a better practice with myself of like meditation and prayer and journaling and looking for confirmation in certain places. That gave me the courage that I needed in order to really just shift the perspective that I can't do something just cause I don't see it or something somebody may not understand it. And you know, now I have a girlfriend who, when I was going through this whole, like when I started out as an entrepreneur, was also the time of me disrupting myself and taking more time for myself and really healing through some things and showing up in different relationships differently. And I have this one girlfriend who would always tell our friends, once he's kind of in like her little cocoon right now, when she comes out, we'll all understand it a lot better. But like, I see what's happening here. And some of them, some of our other friends would be frustrated. Like I was having a lot more boundaries, or I was saying no to opportunities that they were presenting towards to me, which were great opportunities, but I was saying no because it wasn't aligned. And now as this book is coming out, now as so many other things have been happening in my life, people are like, oh, I finally get it right. And so that point eventually comes and then another piece that I talk about in the book too, having proof points is really helpful. So. And what I mean by proof points is, you know, when something's worked out, even if it's just something very small, like keep a little running list. And so those days and weeks and months when you feel discouraged, you can go back to those points that showed you. Wait, this is actually working. The path is this way. Let me keep going. Today I might be knocked down, but I can actually get back up tomorrow because it will work out in the end.

[Guest]

How beautiful is it that you like, have a friend who understands you in that way and is able to kind of almost be that like, bodyguard of when you're in your cocoon?

[Alencia Johnson]

She's such a small frame, but yeah, she was my little bodyguard. Honestly, it made me really start. You know, we navigate towards the negative and that's just like our human disposition, right? But it really made me Start to figure out what is that I appreciate about each and every friend that I have and having the expectation of them to be that versus we throw on so many expectations on the people in our life and then we get disappointed when it's like that's not the reason they're supposed to be there. But she has constantly been like a rock in that. And I could start opening up more with her and realizing, okay, this is a safe space, I can practice being vulnerable. And I, I count that as a blessing because I'm in my mid-30s and I know people who can't look at in their friend group and see that. Right. And it has also helped me navigate friendship breakups. Right. And or pauses or shifts. Right. Which I don't think we spend enough time talking about. We talk about romantic breakups a lot, but we don't talk about what happens when your friendships shift. And she's been a great rock to like help with that. And can also feed into my vision even more too because I now trust her to like let her in.

[Guest]

Yeah. It's really beautiful when you can be seen and understood in that way. Yeah.

[Host]

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[Guest]

I also want to talk more about your career path because you have had a really dynamic career as you had just kind of alluded to experiencing some pivots. And I think that when you're somebody who either has a non linear path or when you're able to create a lane for yourself that is so uniquely yours. In the moment when those shifts and when those pivots are taking place, it can be like, where am I going? What is going on? Can you share with our audience a little bit more about what some of those pivots have looked like for you and how you navigated them.

[Alencia Johnson]

There have been like so many things that have happened in my career that I'm like, how did I get here? But you know, the path towards like putting our vision out in the world, it's, it's. We have to actually surrender quite a bit to what we think it was going to be. To be honest, when I was in college, I thought I was going to be a news anchor. And then I realized that I am very biased in my opinion.

[Host]

And like, I just like the self awareness.

[Alencia Johnson]

Listen, I, I'm a Virgo, so I am very self aware, sometimes a little too self aware, but I am biased in my opinions. And I realized like, well, that's not a bad thing. Like let me go become an expert and I could still do this media thing, but let. And just be an expert here with my opinions. And then I thought, oh, I should go be like a press secretary for a member of Congress or for the administration. And then I thought that was my path. And I never really knew that. Like working on several presidential campaigns, working at Planned Parenthood's national office, and like being a spokesperson in some of these places and having to bring people together from advocacy groups and entertainers and executives and electeds and like bringing all these people together around an issue. One, I didn't really know that was possible, right? But two, that like I was going to have the opportunity to do all of that. Part of it though was me being open to trying something new. So I, I did do a stint in corporate America and I hated it while I was there. But in hindsight, it was actually helpful because now I, like, I have corporate clients and I know how to navigate corporate culture, right? Especially nowadays. How do they still do good in the world? When doing good in the world is being attacked, right? When showing up for black people, showing up for LGBTQIA folks and women, all of this is being attacked. Like, how do they navigate? And I'm able to help them with that, drawing on that experience. And then when I worked on President Obama's campaign, I didn't know what I was doing on that job. I was a surrogate communications booker, which meant that like a lot of surrogates from your elected officials and Valerie Jarrett's to like your favorite celebrities, I'm putting them on TV and radio and putting them in all these places. One, I didn't even know that was a job. Two, I was like, you're trusting me to staff who and like Prep who? I'm 24 years old. What? But I've Just always had this mindset of, if I am here, confronted with this opportunity, the skillset to be here is going to come. And so, like, I have to continue to try. And then when I worked at Planned Parenthood after the election, I actually didn't want to work at Planned Parenthood. I didn't see myself reflected in the women's movement as a black woman. But the work that they do is amazing. And I saw that as an opportunity to actually go there and transform it, right? Like, be part of this transformation where more women of color, young women, women of faith could see them, people of faith could see themselves in this work. And I think all of my former bosses would say that I'm definitely just a sure, let's figure it out person. And part of that is because of what we were talking about, like, the courage to just try and fail in public. And I think that, sure, let's figure it out mentality has been what has been, like, the thread through in all of my career decisions, including my clients who call me for advice about issues. And I'm like, I don't think I know the solution, but, like, we're going to figure it out. Let's figure it out together. And I think that in itself is super courageous. And that's been the thread through and all of my decisions for my career, and also, like, the confidence that it all adds up together. When I went to work for Senator Elizabeth Warren, I got a lot of for her presidential election, her campaign and 2020, there were a lot of people who were like, wait, you started the stand with Black Woman framework at Planned Parenthood, but you're going to work for Senator Warren instead of them? Senator, Vice President, Senator Harris? And I said, well, it wasn't an either or. It was just an opportunity presented itself that actually really aligned with something that I wanted to do. And I decided to join a presidential campaign a lot later than some of the other people, some of my other friends did. But it was never an either or. And I think that too often we live in the reality that multiple things can be true at the same time. And that's where I live. And I have a lot of friends and colleagues who hate that. I'm always like, well, multiple things can be true at the same time. Like, life is not as binary as we like to make it. But it was during that time that I really had to trust that God was going to let everyone catch up to the work that I was doing. And then after that campaign, I went to work for President Biden and Vice President Harris, their election in 2020 and then hers in 2024. But the thread through of really just connecting the dots in these unusual ways has been what I gravitate towards in my career.

[Guest]

There was so much goodness there that I hope people really, like, are able to tease out, particularly when you said, I don't know the next step, but we're going to try. We're going to. It may not be necessarily the right thing, but we're going to take a step and then we're going to pivot and fix as we need to. I feel like as someone who's also in my mid-30s and has had a lot of different career changes, that's probably one of the best qualities a person can have, because when you're willing to do that, you're able to learn how to figure it out in any environment.

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah. And it makes you. That's a transferable skill. Right. And also, as an entrepreneur, it's a great skill to have because, you know, you lose a lot of money and decisions that you make as a. As an entrepreneur, but then you also get scrappy to figure things out. And I don't ever want to not be coachable. Right. Like, or I don't want to be in a position where I'm no longer learning. I believe that we should be students of life, and it's a quality and a value that I love in myself and desire and all of my relationships, professional, personal. I talk about it in the book, but we have to be able to learn something new and also grow. And, like, we're not the same person that we were yesterday, and we don't have the same information that we had two weeks ago. So why not put yourself in a position to learn more? And also, I don't know about you, but, like, I get decision fatigue. I get decision fatigue. I also don't like to know everything. That's why you can bring other people into the table. Like, I'm very quick to be like, these are the things that I know. These are the things that I don't know. Let's bring in other experts versus me trying to do it all by myself. Right. Like, let's actually build a community and let's actually share the resources and put other people in position for them to shine as well. Like, I've gotten to a place of. I don't have to be the one that shines all the time. I don't have to be the one that, like, stands in front of the crowd and all of this. And I know public speaking Is. Is a skill of mine. I know I'm on television giving my opinion all the time, but there are times when I step back and I say, someone else can do this. It's actually okay. There's so much work to be done. Someone else can do this. And it is now transferring over to my personal life, too, because there'll be times when friends and family want to plan an event. And I was like, I'm not doing it this time. I could. I don't know how it works out, but maybe you all do this and I'll do something else that's more helpful for the solution. So it is a skill that I am. It's a muscle that I'm constantly working on, but it is something that I gravitate towards in spaces that I'm in.

[Guest]

Relatable. Can relate to that heavy. There is an element of, like, get somebody else to do it. That is necessary at times.

[Alencia Johnson]

Absolutely. Especially as black women. As much as we have done for, like, this nation. Get somebody else to do it.

[Guest]

Yes. Actually, I would love to talk about that for the 92%, which is this audience, really, 92%, and friends and others who support. I'm curious about your perspective of the next four years, what we're doing as what it looks like for us to step back a little bit, but also not so far back that, you know, things go haywire more than. More than they already are. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

[Alencia Johnson]

So I got. It took me two days to get out of bed after the election. I was at Howard that Tuesday night when we realized what was happening, which is also very eerie because I was also in New York at the Javits center election night in 2016, and it was a very similar feeling. And a couple days when I finally got myself, like, out of my apartment and, like, went on my long walk, I had a very clear download. Like, God was like, you have to take care of yourself. Like, you need to go take care of yourself to show up for what this is about to be. And we have been told, particularly black women, we have been told that we are not allowed to take care of ourselves. We're not allowed to rest, that we are lazy if we don't labor. But if we think about it, we were literally. Our ancestors were literally only brought here to either labor or give birth to labor. And so now that, like, we are not doing that, this society doesn't want anything to do with us. Right. And so from that perspective and understanding that this is a system that we're Fighting against the most radical, disruptive thing that I can do is actually take care of myself. And so it is important. And I do appreciate the collective. Like, we didn't have to have a meeting. We all were like, we're bowing out, we're taking care of ourselves. It has to be an and though, right? Because at some point we have to get back up again and get in the fight and take care of our community. Black women, we are the anchors of our communities, right? And if you don't want to do anything else for anyone else, like, I'm going to take care of my community. And so I think we're in this position now of understanding and it's actually divine how the book is coming out now. And it's kind of the underlying message of what happens. Take care of yourself first so that you can then have a big radical vision and then you can actually build in community. And I believe that black women, right now, we are just taking care of ourselves. And that's more than just yes, meditating and saying no to extra labor. But like, financially, health wise. And I'm not just talking about, you know, we all have those goals of like getting toned or like dropping a few pounds, like the forever £10 I'm always trying to lose, but actually like taking care of, going to the doctors and having those tough conversations with older family members or whatever it may be, real estate planning, all of these things. So that when we're ready to go, we're ready to go. The other thing that I would tell people to do in this moment, which is really practical and it's interesting because I actually started practicing this in the 2016 election. I. And it's crazy. It's about to, like, sound wild. I'm about to say this because I am on cable news. I don't consume a lot of, like, news off of cable and social media. Like, love it. I have a boundary. I have the sources that I like to go to. I like the New York Times for the most part. I like the Associated Press, I like the Guardian. Like, there's some black outlets like Essence, the Griot. And there are a lot of different outlets that I like to read, but I have boundaries on the information that I'm consuming because then we're going to always be reacting. And a tool of oppression is to distract us, overwhelm us and exhaust us. And that is what they are trying to do. And so for me to stay clear eyed on what I have to do, which is go into the world and actually give people hope and Actually direction I've got to be in a place where I'm able to do that clear headed, right? And that's why I have some friends and I, we, you know, post different graphics and information with our audiences about calling your senators, calling your members of Congress and asking them to do what, you know, tell them to vote no on a confirmation or yes on a confirmation or whatever it may be. And those like actionable steps are really, really, really important. And you'll get distracted by like everything that is coming out of that man's mouth versus the things that like you can actually do. Right. And then I think that helps us understand our actual power. And so I want the 92% to like, yes, get the joy, get some rest, take care of ourselves and like fill our cup up and then get in community because we actually have to save our communities. Right? And whatever your community looks like. But I think it is important for us to get back in there and it doesn't have to be today. Maybe reading the book will help you navigate and figure out how you can do this. And you know, I think sometimes people feel as though resistance is everyone in the streets protesting. But that is a part of the strategy. You know, we look at a lot of movements in history and we see the big public demonstrations, but there's also a lot of work that's happening in other spaces behind the scenes. Right. And in the book I try to give people tools of, you know, you may not be able to quit your job and so what does it look like for you to do this? You may not, you may be interested in learning more about an issue, but you don't have certain amount of resources. What does that look like for you? You may not be able to go, whatever it may be, for whatever reason, you may not be able to go into the streets and actually protest that way, but there are ways in which you can show up. And so I want the book to be a guide that gives us permission to do the work that we want to do for ourselves, the joy, the rest that we need, but also actionable ways that they can show up in a sustainable way. Because all of the things that we're fighting for are not going to change overnight. It's going to take generations, but there's going to be. My grandmother, I hear her voice all the time. When she passed in 2015, a few months before, she was like, it was when the key provision of the Voting Rights act was gutted and she was like, wow, I really thought I fought for all of this. So you didn't have to. And I'm working at planned parent at the time and she's seeing attacks on abortion rights, she's seeing attack on voting rights, she's seeing all these things. And I said, it's okay, grandma, like, I got it now. And I know that I'm gonna have to have that conversation with my children and my children's children, but understanding it's a marathon, not a sprint. We understand that like, just like a marathon, you take a break, you refuel yourselves and so let's refuel ourselves. But like we gotta get back in there.

[Guest]

Yeah. I love the distinction you made between engagement and distraction and being pulled into distractions or being bombarded as well as laboring. Those things are all very different and sometimes it can be tempting to lump them all together, but they actually are very distinctly different.

[Host]

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[Guest]

So related to the book, I'm really curious if you had an initial flip the table moment or aha moment or what the, what the first table was that you flipped.

[Alencia Johnson]

Well, my mother will tell this story that when I was 5 years old and I was in kindergarten, we were in the cafeteria and apparently we're at a table and student like the other kids weren't really listening to me. So Alencia Johnson decides to stand on top of the table and scream, I have something to say. And so of course I went to the principal's office and thank God for Mrs. Walker, because that school to prison pipeline for black girls and black boys is very real. But she was like, she called. My mom was like, alencia's a leader. We just gotta channel it the right way. And my mom likes to tell that story. And I like, vaguely remember part of it. And as a moment of okay, I Know that my voice is important, and I know sometimes the status quo is not working. And so you've gotta do something to, like, make people pay attention, which is what disruption is. Right. It's not an. Excuse me, can I. You see my hand being passive, right? It is actually a disruptive moment of asking the question. I had a time when I was in college, and, you know, and it sounds so trivial when I think about a lot of the issues that I talk about. But these small acts of disruption are not actually trivial. They're important. And so I went to a pwi and I pledged a black sorority. I'm a Delta, and there aren't a lot of black sororities and fraternities at the university. And our numbers were obviously a lot smaller than a lot of the white sororities and fraternities. And they had all of the dean of Greek life had all of the presidents meeting with the president of the university. Now, it's interesting because he is a conservative, former elected, but he and I got along because I was literally in his office, like, every couple of weeks demanding something on campus. He'd be like, alindsey, what do you need now? And I'm like, well, let's come say hi this time, but next week I haven't asked. So she had. She decided to. The director of Greek life, she decided to kind of prep all of us on, like, what to say when certain questions are asked when president of the university engages in us. And so we were talking about Greek housing. And so for me, it was. There was a lot of inequity in that because we didn't have the numbers that these other sororities and fraternities did as well. But, like, we were just as important as these sororities and fraternities. And honestly, like, our members go on to stay in these sororities and fraternities for years later, so we also deserve to be in the housing lottery as well. Right? And so she was like, well, we should probably not really discuss that in front of him. And we should, like, stick to these talking points. And so we get through the meeting. It's like, 30 minutes in, and I just, like, have this look on my face. And the president of the university turns to me. He's like, alencia, are you. What. What are you thinking? I said, well, since I have the mic. And she's, like, looking at me. And I was like, I knew this was gonna happen because, like, I'm never in a room with him where he does not ask me what I'm Thinking. And I literally tell him. And by the end of the meeting, she was coming up to me and apologizing and asking to speak with all the black Greek presidents about our housing issues. And he was like, alindsia, good to see you. And I just remember those, like, small moments of disruption where, like, I've used my voice and spaces to. And I was a senior at the time, and it was the spring semester, so it wouldn't have impacted me, but. But it was the people behind me. Right. It was other black students or. Or students who are members of organizations that don't have as many resources. Right. It was just as important for doing that. And so there's small little. If I look back over my life, there are small little moments of me letting my courage get ahead of me, because sometimes I'll walk out of those meetings. And I was like, what? Did I really just say that even now, I'll be honest. Like, there are things that I've said on television or in meetings, and I'm like, I can't believe I said that. Or I. I can't believe people can't see that my voice is still shaking. But those moments are still. Are still there.

[Guest]

I love those stories, though, because those aren't small things or trivial things. I think it's another example of putting in the reps and strengthening that muscle so that you did have the ability and the confidence in other spaces where maybe, yeah, it is a bigger situation or something bigger that you're standing up for. You were able to do that because of those previous experiences.

[Alencia Johnson]

Absolutely. You know, I think I call back to those moments when I ended up in the 2024 election disclosing being a survivor of sexual assault on CNN. And I did not realize that that is what I did until we went to break. And the producer in my ear was like, first, I just wanna make sure you're okay before we go into the next panel after this break. And I was like, I'm okay. Just, I felt the rage of, like, hundreds of thousands of women behind me. And when I tell you that after I got off of set that day, the amount of people that were in my phone, people I knew, people I didn't know, a friend sent me flowers. But I remember walking off set and one of the cameramen had walked out with me and black guy, and he says, thank you for my sister. And I was still shaking. And I remember the panelists that I was on with, I told the producers that I would never be on a panel with him ever again because he was just minimizing and degrading women's experiences. But again, that muscle of speaking and storytelling as we've been talking about too, of speaking your truth and having the courage to do that, it still gets hard, right? But like, you're building that muscle and you really. We really don't know who is going to be impacted by the decision we make if we don't put it out there. Right. Like, had I not talked about that issue and disclosed my own story, I don't know if so many other women who reached out to me, felt seen, and actually wanted to engage in the election if that would have happened.

[Guest]

Wow. Wow. For people who may feel like I have some disruptor in me, but they're maybe scared, maybe they haven't put in the reps, strengthened that muscle, obviously they are going to read the book because that's what it's for. In addition to that, what are some things that you would encourage people to do if they want to start strengthening that muscle?

[Alencia Johnson]

Well, it starts with yourself. And I. And I talk about this in the book. Like, I can go advocate for other people, I can go stand on tables, I can go on international television and talk about a complex issue. But when it came to advocating for myself, it was like a really hard thing for me to do. And it really, you know, came to a standstill when I was assessing my romantic relationships because I was like, I've dated all these different guys, but they're all the same. And like, it's the same outcome. Like, what? Why do I keep having the same situation? And so I had to face myself, which is why it starts with disruption of self. And I would say the first thing that they can do, it is the hardest thing, but it literally is the thing that will unlock so many others is to confront the thing that they have been running from. And typically it's something in their own personal life. And for me, it was some childhood trauma with a family member that I really wasn't. Like, I could, you know, talk about the hypotheticals and I can use all the therapy speak and. But like the actual work of sitting with it, getting comfortable with, like, this discomforting feeling that I have, like the tears and the anger and like not running from those emotions. When I got to, like, disrupt myself and feel those, everything else felt a lot easier. Right. But that was the hardest part. And so I know people are like, wait, but I want to know how to go out and disrupt in the world. And yes, that's coming. But another thing that I realized in all the Work that I've done in politics and advocacy is that we weren't treating each other well. A lot of colleagues and I were not treating each other well. And I'm like, wait, but aren't we the people that folks come to to figure out how to do good in the world, to change the world, but yet we're not treating each other well? Oh, that's because, like, we haven't worked on our own stuff. And so that's why I think the first step in disruption is to really get in the mirror and say, okay, what is it that I'm running from that is holding me back? And then after that second part is figure out your creative outlet, because, again, that will, like, get rid of the roadblocks. It'll also make you feel more liberated and free. And, again, it helps build your confidence. And I like to do this to try something scary every single week, whether it's going to. So one thing that I have to do a better job of is, like, going out to eat by myself. I do it in cities where, like, I don't live, but at home in dmv, for whatever reason, I don't do it, but I, like, push myself to do it. Or they're like, small little things of, like, okay, I know I need to call that person and apologize to them. Let me actually just send that text message. And the more we do those small things, the easier it becomes to, oh, pick up the phone and actually call your member of Congress and tell them that you didn't agree with that vote, or to walk into an organization that you care about the issues that they're championing and say, hey, I want to volunteer my time. But the more that we can build that muscle in small ways in our personal life, I think it helps us as well. The last thing I'll say is figuring out, as we are at these tables, looking around the room and seeing if we can create space for someone else. And I'm constantly doing that, and I know there are times when I miss the mark, but, like, I was at a tech company speaking a few weeks ago, and we were getting audience questions, and they were nothing but, like, men speaking up. And then we ran out of time. And I said, no, we're gonna actually go over time because I want this woman in the front to answer, to have her question asked. And actually, her question opened up the whole panel, and actually, I think had the most transformative answer or response. And so we also have to find ways to do that. And that wasn't about me talking about myself. It was actually creating space for someone else.

[Guest]

There's so much like goodness in there. The starting with yourself piece I think is huge and foundational to everything. And there was something that you said that I think, I know I've been guilty of and I think a lot of us, probably a lot of people listening to shows like this are guilty of too, who are already wellness minded, who already do a version of the work is to know how to like therapize the things. And it's, you know, we already do the things, we write in our journals and we know how to give a really nice media trained answer to things that we've experienced. But have we actually processed it and metabolized it and really worked through it? Which is something I'm in the process of and have, you know, had to do a lot of work around and I'm still in the middle of that. I think a lot of us, like wellness minded folks do really well because.

[Host]

We know all the words and we.

[Guest]

Know the terms and we can describe it, but have we felt it?

[Alencia Johnson]

Yeah. And that's hard. It's so hard.

[Guest]

And that's like the perfect takeaway. I know I needed to hear it. So I'm sure our listeners did too well.

[Alencia Johnson]

And I. And I hope that people see themselves in this book. I got some early reviews from some readers who were saying they felt seen in this book and how to navigate this moment and how to navigate themselves while also navigating the world and that those things all work in tandem. And so I am just really encouraged for more disruptors to be moving through the world with that courage that we need.

[Guest]

Absolutely. And we'll make sure that we have the book linked in the show notes so that people can get it and read it and love it.

[Host]

Alencia, thank you so much for joining us today.

[Guest]

I loved this conversation. So excited to share it with the community. And thank you so much for bringing this book into the world.

[Alencia Johnson]

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

[Guest]

Thank you all so much for tuning into today's episodes. We have all of the resources from today's episode linked in the show notes. Make sure you check it out and make sure you're subscribed wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for tuning in and I'll see you next week.

[Alencia Johnson]

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services.

[Guest]

Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products.

[Alencia Johnson]

Or services referred to in this episode.