Dr. Kenya Johnson is an Assistant Professor of Social Work and Sociology at the University of Houston-Downtown, where she designs and teaches online and hybrid courses with a keen focus on accessibility, engagement, and social justice. With more than two decades of experience teaching virtually and face-to-face, she utilizes student-centered learning experiences that invite inquiry, reflection, and real-world application.
Dr. Johnson's teaching spans undergraduate and graduate programs in sociology and social work, where she has lectured, advised, and mentored students at the BSW and MSW levels. Her pedagogy emphasizes research literacy, critical reflection, and experiential learning, and she actively contributes to curriculum development, delivers engaging lectures, supervises field practicum experiences, and supports student research endeavors. Among the courses she teaches are Urban Practice I, HBSE II (Human Behavior in the Social Environment II), Intro to Social Work and Social Welfare, and Practice with Children and Adolescents.
She also developed and teaches Engaging with Cultural Humility, a course designed to cultivate antiracism change, cultural humility, and the application of ADEI--antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion--theoretical frameworks to both practice and research. Engaging with Cultural Humility centers on identifying facilitators of antiracism change, expanding knowledge and skills related to cultural humility, and fostering critical self-reflection. Through this course, Dr. Johnson guides students in applying ADEI frameworks to real-world practice and scholarly inquiry, equipping them with the tools to analyze systems of inequity and to design action-oriented strategies for change. Her work in the classroom reflects a broader commitment to equity and inclusion, which informs her research, service, and community engagement.
Dr. Johnson earned her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Central Missouri, a Master of Social Work from Saint Louis University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work from the University of Houston's Graduate College of Social Work. Her work embodies a synthesis of scholarly inquiry, community engagement, and a deep commitment to preparing social workers and sociologists who will lead with integrity, compassion, and a fierce dedication to social justice.
