Who is Kenyatta Johnson?

Councilman Kenyatta Johnson is a man on a mission to serve. New challenges arise in his political career after being chosen by his colleagues as the President of the Philadelphia City Council, succeeding Darrell Clarke, who did not seek reelection. Johnson is a political leader representing District Two, encompassing over 150,000 residents in neighborhoods covering parts of the city center, south, and southwest Philadelphia, including the sports stadium area, international airport, and Navy Yard.

Some of Johnson’s top priorities include anti-violence initiatives, improving the quality of life for Philadelphia residents, property tax relief, and managing development in booming southern areas. Johnson entered the political scene in 1998, determined to end gun violence through Peace Not Guns, an organization he founded after his cousin’s murder, focusing on prevention through education and creating programs to provide youth with alternatives to the streets.

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This activism led to a successful candidacy for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where he served as State Representative for Legislative District 186 from 2009 to 2012, before being sworn in for the Philadelphia City Council. A lifelong resident of the Point Breeze neighborhood in south Philadelphia, Johnson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts from Mansfield University and a Master’s in Governmental Administration from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania. He also completed the Certificate of Nonprofit Excellence Program at Harvard Business School.

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kenyatta-johnson-philadelphia-city-council-1 — Johnson entered politics determined to end gun violence. Photo: phlcouncil.com

Johnson, a former AmeriCorps volunteer and founding member of City Year, a nonprofit AmeriCorps organization focused on advocacy through service, faced a federal bribery charge in 2020, alongside his wife Dawn Chavous. They were acquitted in 2022, and his colleagues decided to support Johnson’s bid for the council presidency against his rival, Councilman Curtis Jones.

The role of the president of the city council involves the power to distribute committee appointments, office space, and staff positions, as well as deciding whether bills are heard. A mayor with a good relationship with the council president can see their agenda move forward more smoothly. Although Johnson remained neutral in the mayoral primaries and did not endorse Cherelle Parker, Philadelphia’s new mayor, they have known each other for years, served together as state representatives in Harrisburg, were council colleagues for eight years, and share some priorities for the city.