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Alexis McGill Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), has proven to be a thought leader for reproductive rights and a true advocate for social justice.
After earning her Master of Arts degree from Yale University, Johnson returned to her alma mater as a faculty member. She later served as political director for Russell Simmons’s “Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.” In 2009, she co-founded the Perception Institute, a collective of researchers and strategists dedicated to turning scientific insights into practical solutions for people from diverse backgrounds, per their website. In 2019, she was named president of Planned Parenthood.
During the AFROTECH™ Conference 2024 on Nov. 15, the C-suite executive joined board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Simone Whitmore and 1063 West Broad founder Alencia Johnson for a discussion on reproductive health rights, effective advocacy strategies for women, and advancing reproductive health equity. The session, titled “Advocacy for Reproductive Health,” provided attendees with valuable insights from experts and fostered transparent conversations about equity and justice for women in the post-presidential election landscape.
One concern that Johnson addressed is the continued lack of trust in the medical field among Black Americans, especially Black women. However, Black women are often at the forefront of challenging injustice in medicine, advocating for change, and fostering greater trust within the healthcare system as a collective.
“It is so important to have trusted messengers, providers, and community members to navigate and be your advocates. I think about the critical role that Black women are playing in leading abortion funds right now and resourcing. They are literally being patient navigators to help patients get from where they are to wherever they need to be in order to get access to care out of state. We’re in a moment where almost all of the national reproductive rights organizations are all being led by women of color, mostly black women, thank you very much, after 100 years. So, I think it’s critically important that national organizations understand how deep the work needs to go. It will require us to drive a care agenda to fight for policy and care, one where we are building the power it takes to defend that care.”
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), racial and ethnic disparities have existed in women’s health for decades. These disparities have significantly affected women of color, limiting their access to health insurance, adequate perinatal care, preventive services, and other essential healthcare resources. A study by KFF states these large disparities correlate with the data showing pregnancy-related mortality is over three times higher for Black women than for white women. While efforts have been made to close this gap, there is still work to be done to protect Black women.
Johnson shares that Planned Parenthood has been finding ways to help educate others and continue to be a resource for those who lack access to proper healthcare. After receiving a significant grant, Johnson intentionally focused on ensuring that Black women would benefit.
“Because of trust, we have decided to devalue medical expertise from people who have gone for years to learn, be educated, and understand exactly what’s happening in the community. So much misinformation is out in the world, creating misbehavior in how we care for ourselves. So Planned Parenthood, over the last couple of years, stepped in in 2019. Right around the DOPS decision, we received a significant grant. This was the largest grant that the organization had ever gotten. I went to my board, and they asked me, ‘What would you like to do with the work under this grant?’ And I said, ‘I want to spend it on black women.’”
Per the press release, in March 2022, Planned Parenthood’s national office and 21 affiliates received a historic $275 million donation from Mackenzie Scott. This grant further supported the organization’s mission to be a trusted provider of equitable reproductive health services for communities nationwide.
“This funding will support our efforts to advance health equity by eliminating racial and structural barriers for our patients in the communities where Planned Parenthood works. We know Black women experience disproportionately higher rates of maternal mortality, STIs, and will be most hurt by the loss of abortion access in the South and Midwest. By starting with the Black health experience in partnership with local communities, we see this as an opportunity to not only improve health outcomes for Black patients but to transform how all patients, especially those of color and those in rural and low-income communities, experience our health care, education, and organizing efforts. In future years, I hope this is what it means to Be Seen,” Johnson said in a statement.
Despite the long history of Black America being mistreated and overlooked within the healthcare system, organizations like Planned Parenthood continue to fight for significant change. Johnson concludes the fireside chat with an optimistic view on how healthcare for Black women will improve with the right people in charge.
“I want to dream that one day Planned Parenthood is the best place for Black women to get their healthcare. We need to think about what we need to do to actually get there, what is the work we need to do, and what is the evidence-based way we’re gonna test ourselves. I think it is coming full circle where we wouldn’t guess there to be an abortion access crisis, but this is going to be the animating feature of all of our strategic planning work. It’s gonna recenter us into the lived experience and show us how it affects others.”
Looking to attend AFROTECH™ Conference 2025? Secure your early bird tickets now — Oct. 27 – 31, 2025, in Houston, TX.
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