Nicole Javanna Johnson Debuts BURNTOUT, a Tribute to Black Women's Resilience

Multi-sensorial artist and TEDx speaker Nicole Javanna Johnson has announced the release of Burntout: a visual narrative that honors the resilience of black women throughout history, weaving together themes of unity, struggle, and empowerment. Burntout is an artistic expression of the DEI research and facilitation work Nicole developed as an NYU PhD student and diversity practitioner.

The film also marks a prelude to the grand opening of a new Harriet Tubman Effect office on Broadway in New York City, coinciding with the organization's five-year anniversary celebration. Named one of Variety's 10 Broadway Stars to Watch, Nicole's boundary-breaking storytelling makes Burntout more vital than ever, offering a protagonist that audiences deeply relate to in today's divided world.

"This animated piece not only celebrates the legacy of black women but acts as a reminder of our collective responsibility to dismantle systemic oppression," Johnson asserts. "I hope this work inspires healing and empowers audiences to engage in meaningful change."

The animation begins in 1921 with a black librarian witnessing the devastating Tulsa massacre, as her family's library burns down-symbolizing the erasure of cultural heritage. The story then transitions to 1954, where a schoolteacher loses her job during the Brown v. Board of Education era, highlighting the challenges faced by future generations. Finally, the narrative arrives in 2020, depicting a black woman facing workplace oppression. As she confronts injustice and finds her voice, the video beautifully illustrates her journey toward liberation and connection with the past. The video features stunning animation and original music created in collaboration with animator Diego Perez and musicians Evan Crommett and Alexandra Chrichlow, immersing audiences in an emotional and transformative journey.

In addition to being an animation producer and creator, Nicole is also the Founder and the Creative Director found in the The New York Times - Harriet Tubman Effect. Nicole also boasts over a decade of coalition-building across education and notable theater productions, including Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, PASSOVER, and How To Dance in Ohio, while collaborating with institutions like Lincoln Center Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, Signature Theater, and New York Theater Workshop. Her academic journey, which includes a Master's in Education, Politics, and Advocacy, a Master of Philosophy, and current PhD studies at New York University in educational theater and the neuroscience of diversity, equity, and inclusion, serves to deepen the intellectual foundation of her creative work. As Co-Vice Chair of Alicia Keys's nonprofit Kaleidoscope Dreams and lead facilitator for Black Theater United's New Deal for the American Theater, Nicole Johnson brings her artistic sensibilities to shape initiatives that reimagine institutional structures.

About Nicole Javanna Johnson:

Nicole Javanna Johnson, PhD is an innovative multi-sensorial artist, educator, and facilitator dedicated to dismantling systemic oppression through the power and beauty of storytelling. Nicole founded The Harriet Tubman Effect, a human resource center and participatory-action research institute that offers education and facilitation around justice advocacy, systems change, and the reallocation of wealth. As an artist and creator of animation, music, dance, literature, and visual art, she channels the research and data she has gathered into transformative narratives that bridge historical wisdom with future possibilities, offering the world practical pathways toward collective liberation.

Photo Credit: EW Photography