Erick Johnson gives his speech on why he is a journalist to Indiana University’s High School Journalism InstitutePhoto by Kris Brown

In a media landscape often plagued by underrepresentation and skewed narratives, one individual has been a voice for the often overlooked communities. Erick Johnson is a writer and editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper Group and a newsroom editor for the Gary, Indiana branch of Capital B, a local-national newspaper that represents Black voices. 

Johnson’s journalism journey began when he enrolled in a high school journalism course. Despite disliking the course, he won multiple awards for his writing. One day his interest for journalism sparked as he was writing a profile on a teacher. He won “most outstanding journalism senior” and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at the University of Miami. 

Post-college, Johnson began reporting on overlooked people, …
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