Yodit Mesfin Johnson (she/her) is a racial and economic justice strategist, organizer, and leader with an abolitionist mind and a visionary heart. As President and CEO of Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW), a nonprofit and movement support organization serving Southeast Michigan, Yodit champions equity and justice in historically under-resourced communities. She is also the co-founder of FutureRoot, a design and strategy lab working boldly at the intersections of race, place, history, and culture to foster transformation.

Yodit is a member of JusticeIndeed, a coalition of academics, researchers, lawyers, and activists mapping racially restrictive covenants in Washtenaw County. She also advises a University of Michigan initiative documenting Black segregation, racism, and resistance in the region. Previously, she spearheaded efforts to bring micro-lending into Detroit and helped expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs by growing the number of certified women business enterprises (WBE) in Michigan through mentorship and technical assistance.

Yodit’s visionary leadership has earned her numerous honors, including the 2023 Eugene A. Miller Fellowship, the 2024 Women of Achievement Award from Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and her distinction as an alumna of the German Marshall Fund Fellowship.