Emily Hache/American Red Cross

For more than a century, the American Red Cross has been guided by its mission to serve those in need with compassion, dignity and respect. During Black History Month, the Red Cross proudly honors the many Black volunteers, employees and supporters who have shaped our mission and continue that legacy today. Among them is Taylor Johnson, Disaster Action Team Program Manager for the Los Angeles Region.

“I grew up volunteering and going to events with my mom and dad,” Johnson said. “My parents really emphasized giving back. So, the Red Cross was always on my vision board.”

Some of her first experiences with the Red Cross centered around blood donation. As a child, Taylor lost a classmate to complications associated with sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that disproportionately affects people of African descent. While in college, she organized blood drives for her rugby team as part of their monthly philanthropy goals.

After college, Taylor joined the Peace Corps, serving in Tanzania from 2014 to 2017. There, she worked in education and public health, raising community awareness around malaria and HIV/AIDS.

“They say it’s the toughest job you’ll ever love, and they were right,” Johnson recalls. She loved it so much, she re-upped for an additional year of service to train and prepare the next group of Peace Corps volunteers.

When she returned to the United States, Johnson earned her master’s degree in crisis and disaster management and went on to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA brought her into close contact with Red Cross shelter workers and program managers—an experience that ultimately led her to join the Red Cross in 2022 as disaster program manager for the North Texas Region.

Based in Wichita Falls, Texas, Johnson worked across 17 mostly rural counties, responding to disasters and helping to build both local disaster response teams and community resiliency.

“We did a ton of driving. Sometimes two or three hours to a [disaster] call because our territory was so expansive,” she shared.

Taylor lived on the city’s east side, a tight knit, historically Black community. It was the kind of neighborhood where you build relationships by showing up to the local church, the potluck and the baseball game.

“They welcomed me, a girl from California out to Texas. They taught me how to hitch a trailer, survive the winter, and not get bitten up by ticks,” she laughs. “The folks of Texas really raised me and showed me what it means to be a Red Crosser. I’m eternally grateful to them.”

That connection reinforced what Johnson has long believed: representation builds trust.

Now based in Los Angeles as the Regional Disaster Action Team (DAT) Program Manager, Johnson provides support for volunteers whenever they mobilize to assist communities in need. With a regional perspective, she is also spearheading projects to connect clients to additional services, both internal and external, that can support their recovery, including the Sound the Alarm home fire safety program.

Taylor urges anyone who is interested in volunteering with the Red Cross to jump in. “I’ve always felt I could bring my whole self to work. There is no one make and model for a good Red Crosser. No matter who you are or where you come from, there is space for you here and people that need you.”

As the Red Cross recognizes Black History Month, leaders like Taylor Johnson remind us that the organization’s strength comes from the diverse perspectives, knowledge and experience of the people who carry its mission forward.

Add your heart to our mission. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to learn more.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.