Keynote Speaking
How can we live together, if we can’t even speak together?
I equip civic leaders to unite their communities around taboo conversations.
I believe that we all deserve to share our stories in truthful, humane and productive ways, especially in tough conversations. Over the years I discovered how amazingly simple that can be. Listening is a skill, often more powerful than speaking. Not driving the conversation may feel like a kind of surrender, but that kind of validation makes transformative connections much easier. All you need is a clear process for leading by listening, uplifting others in magical ways. We can live together in these uncertain times. It just takes the courage to listen.
MEET YOUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER
For more than 20 years Joshua Johnson has been an award-winning broadcaster, facilitator, news anchor, talk show host and public speaker.
His work has earned him a reputation for fascinating conversation and insightful analysis, helping people from many walks of life connect in respectful and transformative ways. His national programs have included Truth Be Told, a special public radio series on race; the live NPR talk show 1A, on which he was the founding host; and NOW Tonight, a nightly newscast on NBC News NOW.
As an independent producer he created The Night Light, a viewer-supported Substack/YouTube channel focused on democracy and connection. These programs, and his many speaking engagements over the years, have focused on bringing people closer together and easing America’s deep polarization. And Americans have been paying attention: 1A, for example, drew an audience of more than three million listeners a week on well over 300 NPR stations.
“It’s not my job to tell you what to think,” Johnson says. “My job is to think about what you tell me.”
His talks combine humor, candor, empathy and edginess, with unflinching hope in a brighter tomorrow. In addition to using his skills professionally, he has also taught and trained others in various communication and media skills for years.
Achievements include teaching podcasting as a Lecturer at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, providing interview skills training to the newsgathering staff at The Philadelphia Inquirer, training each class of interns at San Francisco’s KQED Public Radio, and introducing print journalists to public radio as the Operations Director of WLRN Miami Herald News.
When he’s not working, the gym gets plenty of his time, as does his DJ console where he practices mixing house and disco-inspired dance music. Johnson is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Communication, which named him its 2024 Communicator of the Year. He lives in Chicago.
JOSHUA’S SIGNATURE KEYNOTE
”Humanity’s Best Hope: Leaders Who Listen”
Broken friendships, estranged families: America is deeply divided, and we miss feeling connected. When political fault lines open, many organizations focus on how to respond. But shrewd leaders focus on what to ask, how to listen, and how to help others do the same. Let me equip you with a simple process, drawn from my 20+ years in broadcasting, to make taboo conversations humane, productive and fun. Learn to shift confrontations into meaningful connections: set attainable goals, craft effective questions, and defuse hostile encounters no matter the circumstances.
TESTIMONIAL
"Joshua Johnson's voice is one that is necessary as we continue to navigate today's political climate. His take on everything from war to the White House sprinkled in with a bit of popular culture oftentimes causes me to have a driveway moment. Through years of listening to Joshua Johnson on NPR as well as MSNBC I have learned (still learning) to find my own voice."
—Dee Dotson/viewer & paid subscriber, “The Night Light with Joshua Johnson”