Vanessa Johnson is a Griot, writer, playwright, actor, fiber Artist, museum consultant, teaching artist, and storytelling band director. Johnson coordinated the Syracuse Juneteenth Festival for three years and directed the J.P. Morgan Chase Juneteenth Interactive Museum for five years. At the N.Y. State Fair she coordinated the Pan African Village for nine years, and the Harambee Youth Tent for 16 years offering free art and cultural experiences for families. She founded Syracuse Africa Boundin 1989, offering youth cultural trips to Ghana. As Director of Education for the Onondaga Historical Association, she used storytelling to teach the history of Onondaga County. She currently “Tells” at schools, universities, colleges, museums, libraries, and community events. Johnson’s play “Doors” was produced by Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company of Syracuse, in May of 2014. She wrote and produced children’s plays for the Onondaga Historical Association and for after school programs. Vanessa’s short stories are in “Women’s Voices: An Anthology of Poetry and Short Stories” and is the editor of stories written by youth from the Arts Academy – Community Folk Art Gallery in “High Flown Words” in 2022. She created the“Griot Guides” program at S.U. Community Folk Art Center, teaching African-American history through storytelling and art. Johnson is the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation’s Artist in Residence. She has had five solo fiber art exhibitions.