Host, The Night Light with Joshua Johnson
Joshua Johnson: Biography at a Glance
- Joshua Johnson has made a career of connection: bridging cultural divides and demystifying current events.
- On his podcast, The Night Light with Joshua Johnson, he focuses on American democracy and culture, unpacking taboos, demystifying big issues, and debating solutions with people who put connection above politics.
- Before starting his own show, he served as an anchor for nearly three years at NBC News and MSNBC, providing rare spaces for audience interaction in network news.
- Johnson also anchored specials for Black History Month and LGBTQ Pride Month on NBC News NOW: the latter of which won an award from the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Journalists.
- Before NBC, Joshua served three years as the founding host of the NPR daily talk show 1A. The show which launched at the beginning of the Trump Administration helped Americans connect despite their political differences.
- He also helped create “Truth Be Told”, a special series on issues of race, driven by audience stories of encounters gone wrong.
Videos
Biography
Joshua Johnson has made a career of connection: bridging cultural divides and demystifying current events. Today he’s continuing that mission on The Night Light with Joshua Johnson, his podcast focused on American democracy and culture. Before starting his own show, he served as an anchor for nearly three years at NBC News and MSNBC, providing rare spaces for audience interaction in network news. There he anchored two programs: The Week with Joshua Johnson on MSNBC and NOW Tonight with Joshua Johnson on NBC News NOW. Johnson also anchored specials for Black History Month and LGBTQ Pride Month on NBC News NOW: the latter of which won an award from the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Journalists.
Before NBC, Joshua served three years as the founding host of the NPR daily talk show 1A, based at member station WAMU in Washington. The show launched at the beginning of the Trump Administration, helping Americans connect despite their political differences. During his tenure 1A built a weekly audience of four million listeners nationwide. WAMU recruited him after hearing his work as Morning Newscaster for KQED in San Francisco. There he helped create “Truth Be Told”, a special series on issues of race, driven by audience stories of encounters gone wrong.
Joshua Johnson is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. He lives in Las Vegas.
Topics
Being Strong in Your Skin
When you are the only one like you at work, at school or in your community, how do you stay true to who you are, and stay resilient when people reject you or try to change you? Joshua Johnson speaks about his journey of not fitting in, living outside the boundaries and challenging norms, all while excelling within the confines of high expectations.
Creating a Culture of Trust
The country, media, politics and our conversations feel more divided than ever. How do we connect across ideologies and lifestyles when our discussions reflect the views of media we “agree” with or relate to? As the host of 1A, Joshua Johnson has created a reputation for fostering an empathetic culture that avoids judgement and bickering: what you might call “leadership by listening”. His listeners and guests are free to speak their minds, knowing that they’ll be heard. As a moderator for your event or a keynote, learn how to create this same environment and approach relationships, business or personal, with empathy. We won’t agree with everything someone says, but we can change the way we connect in our homes, communities and offices.
