Jillian Johnson

Jillian Johnson is an American politician and non-profit administrator. From 2015 to 2023, she served on the Durham City Council, and was the first LGBTQ member to be elected to the council. From 2017 to 2021, she served as the Mayor Pro-Tempore of Durham, North Carolina.

Early life and education Johnson grew up in Virginia and attended the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies in Richmond. In 1999, she moved to Durham, North Carolina to attend Duke University. She graduated in 2003 with a bachelor of arts degree in public policy and a minor in women's studies.

Career Johnson is a member of the Democratic Party. She was elected to the Durham City Council in 2015, focusing her campaign on racial, economic, and environmental justice, police accountability, and equitable development. Upon her election to office, she became the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the city council and, at the time of her swearing in, was the youngest member of the council. She was re-elected to her second term on the council in 2019.

In February 2019, Johnson and then-councilwoman Vernetta Alston were both disinvited from speaking at a Black History Month celebration held at Immaculata Catholic School. Alston and Johnson were originally invited by the school's African-American Heritage Committee as part of the school's "Influential African American Women" theme. The invitation was rescinded after there were threats to protest the event due to Alston and Johnson being openly gay public officials. Fr. Christopher VanHaight, the pastor at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and Head of Immaculata Catholic School, said he made the decision to rescind the invitation and close the school for a day after receiving messages from some school parents voicing concern about having a "pro-gay marriage" politician speak at the school They pledged all or part of their federal stimulus payments, part of an aid package to help Americans through the COVID-19 recession onset by the COVID-19 pandemic, to go to Siembra Solidarity Fund. Johnson spoke at a meeting, addressing the allegations against Holsey-Hyman, saying that the allegations "reflect on our entire council, our city, our commitments to our community, and the way we use our power and authority." Johnson introduced a resolution to censure Holsey-Hyman, which was set to be voted on at the meeting on April 3. She left office that year.

Personal life Johnson lives in Durham with her partner and two children.