Alencia Johnson doesnt just navigate powershe redefines it.
Johnsons impact spans politics, media, and advocacy.
Her work isnt just about visibilityits about transformation.
Courtesy of Adedayo “Dayo” Kosoko
The agency is dedicated to building strategy, culture, and community for people and organizations committed to equity.
Her influence extends far beyond political campaigns.
Its imperative for all of us to have some spiritual anchor.
Courtesy of Shaleena Cole
That spiritual clarity fuels her critique of todays political and corporate climate.
In an era where many institutions backpedal under political pressure, Johnson refuses to stay silent.
Its been pretty disgusting to see so many companies cave quickly to the executive actions, she says.
They forget the influence they have over the president.
Her message is unwavering: Proximity to power is not the same as having power.
True power belongs to those willing to flip the table when the table itself is broken.
WithFlip the Tables, shes not just sharing her story.
Shes handing us the toolkit.
Glamour:I want to start with your Red Flag Is You chapter.
You describe the moment you realized you already had everything you needed within you.
How do we, especially as Black women, learn to trust ourselves and stop delaying our own power?
Youre just afraid to trust yourself.
And Ill be honesttherapy was coming out of my pocket.
That was the moment I realized: This is where the real work begins.
But I couldnt keep using it as a crutch while telling others to trust themselves.
I wasnt stepping into my own power.
I was the roadblock.
What advice do you wish you could give your younger self?
The advice thats in the book: You dont have to be the best at everything you try.
Its okay to be bad at something.
How do we push past the fear of accountability and step into real change?
For me, it shows up in both personal and professional ways.
Eventually, I had to be honest with myself.
But when I flipped the question, it changed everything.
I asked, If I walk away from something that no longer serves me, what am I walkingtoward?
That shift allowed me to finally let go.
And it wasnt easy.
I still had moments of wanting to go back and talk it through, but sometimes the talking ends.
You have to put the health of the relationshipand your own well-beingabove the urge to people-just.
Whats a piece of professional advice that has stuck with you?
Dont ask for permission, ask for forgiveness.
As women, especially Black women, our authority is constantly questioned.
What do you think is the most important quality in a boss or leader?
The capacity for grace.
But Ive been in situations where leaders didnt have that same grace for others.
What role does rest play for you?
Im so glad you said guilt-free, because that was the key for me.
That guilt is socially constructed, especially for women, and even more so for Black women.
Were conditioned to believe we have to earn rest, or that taking care of ourselves is selfish.
That shouldnt be the reason we rest, but itisa by-product.
You cant pour into others if youre running on empty.
I learned that the hard way.
There were moments in my career when I ended up physically unwellhospitalizedbecause I wasnt taking care of myself.
What finally shifted things for me was a devotional I read a few years ago.
Are you more important than God?
That humbled mereal quick.
The truth is, theyll move on.
And thats not harsh, its just real.
Which means we have to take care of ourselves.
I love who I am when Im fully rested and restored.
And yes, its resistance.
Saying no to that narrative challenges the entire systemand thats powerful.
Whats your favorite low-stakes treat?
That sometimes there isnt another chance or opportunity.
We often say, Youll get to where youre going, everything will work outand thatcanbe true.
Sometimes opportunities do come back around at a better time or in a better fit.
But sometimes, they dont.
So dont take whats in front of you for granted.
You have to move forward with a bit of urgency, even if you dont feel completely ready.
So when we think about that old playbook of work twice as hard, whats the new strategy?
It starts with recognizing that work ebbs and flows.
Sometimes,less really is more.
Thats what inspired my chapter on great versus good enough.
But a real leader doesnt do everything.
A real leader builds a team with strengths they dont have, and then trusts and nurtures those strengths.
And that was a good thing.
I told her, You should be running this team.
And we transitioned roles.
Sometimes leadership isnt about expanding the table.
Its about handing someone else your seat.
How do we stay present in professional spaces without overextending ourselves for institutions that dont truly value us?
How do we protect our ideas and energy while still showing up?
I think it starts with accepting that no single spaceprofessional or personalis going to meet all of our needs.
I dont expect that from my relationships, so why would I expect it from a workplace?
But the truth is, many institutions arent built to recognize our full brilliance.
And thats okayas long as we stop overextending ourselves trying to prove it.
Some of our ideas and creative energy need to be saved forusfor the next chapter, for whats coming.
That doesnt mean we withhold everything, but it does mean being strategic.
At the end of the day, we have to remember that were hired to do a job description.
Do the job, maybe a little morebut not at the cost of your well-being.
I had to learn this the hard way.
Thats when I knew: It was time to move on.
Sometimes were trying to stay in spaces that no longer serve us when its clearly time to shift.
Maybe that means a new role, a new table, or an entirely new path.
And no, that transition doesnt happen overnightbut recognizing when its time is the first step.
And I meanreallygetting out of the way.
Its not enough to admire a Black or Indigenous womans voice.
you oughta resource her, support her leadership, and thenlet her lead.
Now, for Black women, we already understand the value of community.
Its actually part of it.
Personally, Im making sure Im okayhealth-wise, financially, emotionallyand making sure my community is too.
Because thats the only way we survive and build something sustainable.
And that leads to what I thinkeveryoneshould be doing right now: deep community work.
Let me give you an example.
My parents, now retired, do a lot around food and housing insecurity in a small rural town.
And no, thisshouldntfall on everyday people.
But the truth is, it does.
And what theyre saying is, Were going to be the ones to show up.
Thats whats required right now.
It starts with knowing your neighbors.
It sounds simple, but its revolutionarybecause its rooted in real care.
