Khiry Johnson joined Mikva Challenge as a student at Prosser Career Academy on the west side of Chicago. He was part of Mikva’s Education Council where along with his Council peers he advised then CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Arne Duncan, on policies that could improve the education experience for Chicago youth. He also interned with Alderman Emma Mitts of the 37th Ward of Chicago as part of Mikva’s Summer Fellows program.

“My experiences with Mikva have been the building blocks for most of the activism I get involved with to this day. Mikva ignited the flame of curiosity with the gas of hope. I am confident that my involvement is a part of the solution. Mikva did not only teach me to keep up with current events but that my actions can rectify a lot of the issues I found troubling. I found that the space between a problem and a solution is filled by me,” said Johnson in an interview with Mikva Challenge.

Khiry is now a comedian and motivational speaker based in Los Angeles, California.