DR. KENYA JOHNS (Photo by Marcia Liggett)
CELEBRATING OUR REGION’S BLACK MAYORS — A Continuing SERIES
by Marcia Liggett
For New Pittsburgh Courier
In January, Dr. Kenya Johns was sworn into the office of mayor of Beaver Falls, becoming the first Black woman elected as mayor in the city’s 153-year history. The 2.35-square mile city is located 31 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, bordering the Beaver River. Dr. Johns achieved victory by unseating incumbent mayor George Quay, who had held the position since being appointed by City Council in 2012.
In the year leading up to the election, Dr. Johns and her mother, both lifelong residents of Beaver Falls, discussed Dr. Johns running for office, believing she would be the catalyst for much-needed change in the community.
“There seemed to be a missing component with Beaver Falls not being represented,” Dr. Johns told the New Pittsburgh Courier in an exclusive inter view. “We lack seats at the table, decisions have been made and opportunities are being missed by the city because we lack that representation.”
Dr. Johns’ mother and sister both passed amid Dr. Johns’ preparing to campaign, but she persevered in hopes of changing the blighted image of the once-booming steel town. “My mother’s words of encouragement really pushed me to follow through with it (the campaign), because to be quite honest, going through that grief was really hard and challenging for me to run.”
On the campaign trail, Dr. Johns met and connected with now-Councilwomen Peggy Evans and Vanessa Taylor after learning that they all had similar goals to better the community. “It is a big misnomer that we ran together,” Dr. Johns said. “It has been through our journeys and talking that we decided to connect and do this together,” explaining that they are determined to give a voice to Beaver Falls’ often-overlooked 20 percent Black population. “We have to work together in all aspects on all fronts. We must be willing to do things differently than we’ve done before and be open to that collectively. We have a lot of great programs here. Learning what resources we have and enhancing those resources is vital to our success. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. We need to work together to better the community.”
DR. KENYA JOHNS (Photo by Marcia Liggett)
Dr. Johns plans to achieve these goals through transparency, by setting an example and being accessible to her constituents. “It is my responsibility to serve and be a public servant, open the door, and allow people time to come in. There’s nothing that you can’t accomplish if you’re willing to learn, engage, humble yourself and work alongside people. We should acknowledge the challenges that come, especially in our community,” she said.
Dr. Johns places great emphasis on serving as an example for youth by modeling positive, can-do behavior. “Children are my baseline,” Dr. Johns said. “The future and future preparation are who I am and why I do this. If we’re not preparing our youth, for the next generation and next steps in life, then we are setting ourselves and them up (for failure).”
Dr. Johns is often seen at school and community events supporting the youth. “I’ve always been behind the scenes and wore many hats in various roles within the community by participation in multiple groups and organizations,” which, she says, she’s committed to continuing.
Dr. Johns, the 30-year-old wife and mother of two, earned a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish from Slippery Rock University in 2014, a M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Geneva College, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Supervision and Education from Duquesne University. Her full-time job is school counseling program director at Geneva College. She’s also an active counselor and offers professional consulting.
A former foreign exchange student to Spain, Dr. Johns gained a newfound appreciation for diversity, which played a significant role in her professional endeavors. She is a presenter at Diversity, Equity and Inclusion-based conferences, and provides guidance with culture-building, workplace management, culture-shifting, relationships, wellness and mentorship.
ABOUT THE SERIES
The New Pittsburgh Courier has profiled a number of African American mayors in our region over the past weeks, following the historic achievement of Ed Gainey becoming Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor. To read our previous profiles on Mr. Gainey, Homestead mayor John Burwell and Wilkinsburg mayor Dontae Comans, please visit our website,
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
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