Johnathan McGee

Position
2024 - LOS ANGELES
Bio/Description

Johnathan McGee, a senior at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies High School, is actively involved in initiatives promoting race relations, advocacy and inclusion within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). For the past two years, as president of the Black Student Union, he has led the creation of a remarkable Black History Month showcase for more than 4,000 students. Noticing a lack of diversity in advanced classes and extracurriculars, Johnathan founded the club Minority Empowerment, which holds weekly discussions about overcoming systemic barriers to succeed academically. To support these efforts, he compiled a "minority empowerment resource document" of support services, opportunities and outside organizations that students can draw upon throughout their educational journey. Johnathan also led 20 peers to speak to more than 400 students from grades 8-10 about minority empowerment. This initiative has helped close the educational gap for minority students at his high school and further equitable race relations on his campus. In addition, Johnathan serves as vice president of the LAUSD Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SSAC), where he represents all district students. Through SSAC, he has been involved in various initiatives such as promoting educational equity and Hispanic Heritage Month on KLCS and PBS studios' commercials, participating in diversity-equity-inclusion projects, hosting mental health and young men's leadership conferences and establishing the first LAUSD Black Student Advisory Council. Johnathan's work with Minority Empowerment earned him the LAUSD SSAC Project of the Year Award in 2023 and recognition as an LAUSD Champion in 2024.