The power of representation: Being a role model for the next generation

By Dawn Marie Johnson, MSW, Director of Leadership and Culture for the South Dakota Afterschool Network; School Board Member, Sioux Falls School District

Dawn Marie Johnson has been involved in supporting young people and school and afterschool organizations for the past decade. Growing up in a small town on the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation, she experienced a community that took pride in its people, even with limited resources. Part of Dawn Marie’s mission is to connect her and her community to Indigenous roots and history. She has been recognized by the National Afterschool Association as one of the Next Generation of Leaders, and was recently elected as the first woman of color to serve on the Sioux Falls School Board.

Receiving the University of South Dakota Alumni Achievement Award in the fall of 2022 was an incredible honor for me. As I stood on that stage, surrounded by my loved ones and well-wishers, I would be reminded of the immense power of representation.

A chance encounter

In the spring of 2022, a foster family reached out to me after seeing a news story about my work with students in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They had recently adopted a seven-year-old Native American girl who struggled with confidence in her own skin. They asked if I could be a positive influence in her life, someone she could look up to and seek advice from. This request sparked a beautiful friendship and a new chapter in my journey.

The power of representation

Upon discovering that this young girl had never seen a Native American woman making a real-time impact, I realized the immense importance of representation. It is not enough for children to have fictional characters or historical figures as role models; they need tangible, relatable individuals who they can connect with on a personal level. By being present in her life and sharing my experiences as a woman of color, I hoped to show her that she too could achieve great things.

The award night

Fast forward to the night of my acceptance speech for the Alumni Achievement Award. As I stood on that stage, I was presented with a star quilt. I spoke passionately about leadership and referenced the influential Native American figures in my life: my mother, a friend overseeing COVID Crisis Response teams across the Pine Ridge Reservation, and an Indigenous leader providing clinical and cultural therapy. But it was during my speech that something truly remarkable happened.

As I mentioned the young girl and my own daughter as the next generation of world majority leaders, my mother observed my young friend, sitting among the audience, pinching her skin. In that moment, her beautiful, brown, Native, full-of-life skin became a symbol of both vulnerability and strength. It was a poignant reminder of the impact our actions, words, and representation can have on others.

The significance of representation

I cannot emphasize enough the significance of representation, especially for young people. Numerous studies have shown that when individuals encounter role models who share their backgrounds or lived experiences, they start to envision themselves in similar positions. It is a powerful phenomenon that fuels self-belief, ambition, and the courage to dream big.

For too long, individuals from underrepresented communities have been deprived of seeing themselves reflected in positions of influence and leadership. This lack of representation perpetuates a cycle of limited possibilities and undermines their sense of self-worth. I have encountered many people who confidently tell me they have not experienced a woman of color in my position. Whether it is receiving a university award, being Director of Leadership and Culture for the South Dakota Afterschool Network, or my most recent endeavor of becoming the first woman of color to be on Sioux Falls School District School Board, for many, I am a rare example. As leaders, mentors, and advocates, it is our responsibility to break these barriers and pave the way for a more inclusive future.

My journey as an Emerging Leader has taught me the tremendous impact we can have on the lives of others, particularly young people who are yearning for role models who look like them. By being visible, by sharing our stories, and by being unapologetically ourselves, we inspire the next generation to believe in their own potential. Together, we can create a world where representation is not the exception but the norm, where every child sees themselves reflected in the leaders and change-makers around them. Let us embrace this responsibility with open hearts and open minds, for it is through representation that we will shape a brighter future for all.