Firestarters with Shannon Watts

“For women, people of color, and anyone on the margins, there’s a culture and society that wants to dominate us; to keep us oppressed and in line. The more that we fight through it, the better off we are and the more fires we can start to disrupt the world around us.”

Alencia Johnson is an award-winning commentator, political advisor, leader and now an author who is teaching people how to be everyday disruptors. After working on presidential campaigns of President Obama, Senator Warren, and President Biden, Alencia went to work for Planned Parenthood where she helped create “Stand with Black Women," a campaign to call attention to Black people’s bodily autonomy and dignity. Alencia's debut book “Flip The Tables: The Everyday Disruptor’s Guide to Finding Courage and Making Change,” a manual for finding your audacity, shaking up the status quo, and creating a better world, is out now.

During our conversation, Alencia and I discuss the life lessons she took away from being raised by activists, the mental and physical health struggles that helped her focus on her personal fulfillment, and how she found the courage to be an agitator for good. Alencia is a strong and compassionate leader, a bold and confident risk-taker, and a courageous warrior for justice and equality. Alencia Johnson is a firestarter.

To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Alencia, be sure to preorder my book “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age” at firedupbook.com.

My upcoming book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is now available for preorder! This book is my guide to figuring out what lights you up and will show you how to live on fire every day. Click here to preorder and get locked into some incredible bonuses.