"You don't come out the same person"

Empowering Our Youth to Strengthen Our Democracy

February 17, 2025

Greetings!

In the spring of 2020, as we prepared to welcome Students for Voting Justice’s first class of interns, we looked at each other in alarm and asked, “How are the two of us going to supervise 63 young people?” Our solution was to recruit friends and colleagues as volunteers. What began as a necessity has become one of the defining strengths of SVJ. Every intern is paired with a volunteer mentor who meets with them weekly, supporting not only their civic work, but their professional and personal growth. Today, we’d like to introduce you to one intern–mentor pair whose relationship beautifully illustrates the power of this model.

Nikkyla Johnson is a junior psychology student at North Carolina A&T State University who joined SVJ as an intern in fall 2025. It was her first political internship. Before SVJ, she tried encouraging friends to vote through social media. But after hearing about the internship from a former intern, she wanted to learn how to do more.

Through SVJ, Nikkyla became a confident political organizer and advocate for voting. “A lot of people, especially in the Black community, think one vote doesn’t matter,” she says. “But if everybody put in that one vote, it would make a huge difference.” She shared what she learned with family members in Virginia (our 2025 get-out-the-vote focus), helping them understand the importance of voting and how to participate.

Nikkyla Johnson, junior psychology student at North Carolina A&T State University

Dr. Kermit Crawford, Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry at the Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine.

Nikkyla was paired with long-time SVJ mentor Dr. Kermit Crawford. Kermit’s background aligned with Nikkyla’s career goal of bringing mental health care to juveniles involved in the justice system.

For Nikkyla, Kermit’s support went well beyond SVJ assignments. “He wasn’t just making sure I got my postcarding done,” she says. “He really wanted to see me become a better professional and a better person.” Kermit helped her update her résumé, connected her with colleagues, guided her through applications, and held her accountable for networking and application deadlines. “It’s rare to have a mentor who not only wants you to succeed but holds you responsible for your success,” Nikkyla says.

Good mentoring is “not just about knowledge,” Kermit explains. “It’s about learning what can most benefit someone early on, and doing it.”

Nikkyla has been promoted to Team Manager for the 2026 session — one of a small number of returning interns selected to supervise a team of new interns. Kermit will continue in his role as Nikkyla’s SVJ mentor, supporting her growth as a leader and providing guidance as she explores graduate programs.

While Nikkyla currently plans to pursue a master’s in social work next, Kermit will continue encouraging her to aim higher. She expects the debate isn’t over, saying with a laugh, “I know Dr. Crawford is pushing for my doctorate -- he calls me Dr. Johnson.”

Nikkyla wants both future interns and potential donors to understand that SVJ changes lives. “You come in thinking you’re just helping people vote,” she says. “But you may come out saying, I want a new career, I have a new passion, I know how to manage my time better. You don’t come out the same person, and I mean that in a very positive way.”

Students for Voting Justice has two equal goals: increasing turnout among Black and young voters and providing transformative experiences for young leaders. Your support makes both possible and we are very grateful to you. This year, our work in getting out the vote will be more important than ever. Even as we rise to that challenge, we will continue to nurture the young people who will lead America into a better tomorrow.

With continued hope for democracy,

Claire Ullman & Sandra Radoff

Co-Directors

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Students for Voting Justice

c/o Center for Common Ground

PO Box 235, Ladysmith, VA 22501

Tax ID # 82-4589218

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