<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/69b0b7a05cbb8.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Dr. Makeda Johnson, Urban League of Greater Miami president, along with Daniella Pierre, president of NAACP Miami-Dade, at a domestic violence awareness event.<\/p>\n
(Urban League of Greater Miami)<\/p>\n
Johnson, however, is ushering in a season of vocal advocacy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe my predecessor did an amazing job,\u201d Johnson told The Miami Times. \u201cHe definitely laid the foundation, even in our new strategic plan, \u2018Legacy, Leadership, Lift.\u2019 We have to build on the legacy he built, but we are now moving toward the leadership of not just myself and our executive team, but also the individuals that work with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of her immediate priorities is re-establishing the organization\u2019s presence in the public eye.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/69b0b94363f9d.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Dr. Makeda Johnson is the first woman to lead the Urban League of Greater Miami.<\/p>\n
(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for The Miami Times)<\/p>\n
\u201cI want people to understand that the Urban League is still here, that we’re still doing the work within the community,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have a ton of programming coming up just to reintroduce ourselves. We respect the past, but we’re also trying to grow into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
A leader rooted in the movement<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/69b0b815a3596.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Dr. Makeda Johnson on a panel in Miami Gardens.<\/p>\n
(Urban League of Greater Miami)<\/p>\n
Johnson is no stranger to the Urban League\u2019s national mission.<\/p>\n
Her career path has been a steady climb through the movement, having served as director of education for the Buffalo, New York, affiliate, followed by roles as director of education and emerging programs at the Urban League of Central Carolinas, and eventually chief operating officer of the Urban League of Winston-Salem.<\/p>\n
In Miami, she notes that the reception has been overwhelmingly positive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tell everybody that the Urban League\u2019s tagline is \u2018empowering communities, changing lives.\u2019 This affiliate is no different,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cSince I’ve been here, Miami has been good to me. I’ve met some amazing people, some other people, and nonprofits, as well as businesses, who have been very welcoming to me, to my family, to the changes in the organization.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Johnson, the role is also deeply personal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy grandmother was a maid, so when you look at that, and you put that in perspective \u2014 she was a woman who did not have a formal education, and her granddaughter is sitting in a position to make change \u2014 it gives me almost a sense of pride to say that I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Increasing visibility and advocacy<\/p>\n
One of Johnson\u2019s primary goals is dismantling what she calls the “best-kept secret” status of the local affiliate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe may be one of the best-kept secrets,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cAnd over the next three to five years, I would like to get the secret out.\u201d<\/p>\n
She noted that many residents, particularly those new to the region, are unaware the organization is active in South Florida.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cannot say how many people I’ve met who say, \u2018There\u2019s an Urban League in Miami?\u2019 Especially people who moved here from areas where they have an Urban League in their community. So really having that conversation with everybody that we are here.\u201d<\/p>\n
To achieve this, Johnson plans to collaborate extensively with other nonprofits and\u00a0civic institutions under her guiding mantra: \u201cUbuntu,\u201d an African philosophy meaning \u201cI am because we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether we’re stronger; nobody can do this work by themselves,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to collaborate.\u201d<\/p>\n
This strategy includes a more robust role in civic engagement and public policy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt looks like us being more vocal, more visible, and involved with advocacy,\u201d she explained. \u201cIt means showcasing the reasons why people should vote and what that looks like, while maintaining a non-partisan role in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n
Expanding the housing footprint<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/69b0baa77c432.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
View 29, a proposed 12-story, 116-unit mixed-income project in Wynwood, targets residents earning 30% to 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI).\u00a0<\/p>\n
(Wynwood Design Review Committee)<\/p>\n
Housing remains one of the Urban League\u2019s most robust pillars. Through its “New Urban Development”<\/a>\u00a0and property management affiliates, the organization currently manages over 1,000 units across Miami-Dade County.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/69b0ba00c449c.image.png\")
<\/p>\n