Brandon R. Johnson

Urban Affairs Coalition — Ending Racism Partnership & Citywide Survey

Context

Amid heightened national and local conversations around race, equity, and institutional accountability, the Urban Affairs Coalition launched the Ending Racism Partnership (ERP) — a citywide initiative designed to facilitate dialogue, data collection, and actionable insight.

The moment required clarity, credibility, and disciplined public storytelling.

Impact

• Elevated UAC’s role as a trusted civic convener during a critical public moment
• Generated significant media visibility across major outlets
• Strengthened executive credibility through disciplined messaging and transparent reporting
• Demonstrated the organization’s ability to translate dialogue into data-informed public insight
• Established a replicable model for integrating research, storytelling, and media strategy

Challenge

The organization needed to:

• Develop a credible, research-backed framework for community engagement
• Translate complex and emotionally charged subject matter into accessible public narrative
• Position executive leadership as trusted voices
• Align digital platforms, media coverage, and public reporting under a unified strategy
• Avoid reputational risk while maintaining urgency and visibility

This was not a marketing campaign.
It was public-facing institutional leadership.

Insight

In moments of civic tension, visibility without structure creates noise.

The initiative required both narrative architecture and data credibility. The solution would need to integrate original research, video storytelling, earned media, and executive messaging into a cohesive public-facing platform.

Strategic Approach

Trust would be built through clarity and transparency.

Key components included:

I led the creation and deployment of a citywide public survey, designed to gather meaningful insight across Philadelphia communities.

• Developing survey architecture in Qualtrics in collaboration with internal and external partners
• Establishing messaging strategy and distribution framework
• Coordinating cross-channel outreach to ensure broad participation
• Managing data synthesis and public reporting structure
• Integrating findings into executive messaging and media engagement

Simultaneously, I directed video production efforts and media coordination to amplify the initiative’s reach and credibility.

Media & Platform Architecture

To support the Ending Racism Partnership, I designed and launched a multi-format video storytelling platform anchored on UAC’s YouTube channel.

This ecosystem included:

• Two fully produced narrative films, which I ideated, scripted, and oversaw from concept development through final production and distribution
• A pre-recorded citywide kickoff event assembled from coordinated community video submissions and executive framing
• A live-recorded health equity dialogue, for which I co-developed the program concept, secured speakers, and directed production and promotion

Across all formats, I led:

• Creative concept development and scripting
• Production coordination and vendor oversight
• Integrated promotion and audience strategy
• Press coordination and earned amplification
• Distribution architecture designed to grow and centralize UAC’s YouTube presence

The result was not a series of isolated videos, but a cohesive public narrative platform that aligned research, executive voice, and community engagement.

What This Work Represents

This work reflects strategic narrative leadership at scale — integrating research, executive voice, media visibility, and digital storytelling during a period of heightened scrutiny.

It demonstrates the ability to lead creative transformation not only in brand identity, but in how institutions engage public discourse.