Marissa Johnson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marissa Jenae Johnson
Marissa Johnson at microphone at an August 2015 political rally in Seattle, with U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders standing aside
Born	1990/1991
Education	Seattle Pacific University
Organization	Black Lives Matter

Marissa Jenae Johnson (born around 1990 or 1991) is an American activist. An activist is someone who works to bring about social or political change. She became well-known when she interrupted U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders at a rally in Seattle in August 2015. Her work is connected to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Marissa Johnson helped start a justice group in Seattle called Outside Agitators 206. This group later stopped operating. Around September 2015, she became a co-founder of the Seattle chapter of Black Lives Matter.

Marissa Johnson's Activism

Marissa Johnson was known for her activism even before the incident with Bernie Sanders. She often spoke out and sometimes interrupted public meetings.

Early Actions

In November 2014, Johnson organized a protest called a die-in. During a die-in, people pretend to be dead to protest something. This event took place at a shopping mall in Downtown Seattle. It happened on Black Friday 2014, a very busy shopping day. The protest caused the mall to close down.

In January 2015, she attended a city council meeting. The meeting was about whether city police should use body cameras. These cameras record what police officers do. Johnson caused the meeting to be paused. She said, "I don't need a home video of my oppression."

Her Background and Beliefs

Marissa Johnson has a black father and a white mother. She describes herself as an evangelical Christian. She says her faith is a big reason for her activism. She believes that "white supremacy is sin." White supremacy is the idea that white people are superior to others.

She graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 2013. She earned a degree in theology, which is the study of religious beliefs. After college, she worked as a nanny, someone who cares for children.

Some people have wrongly linked her to the Tea Party movement. This was a political movement in the United States. Johnson has said that her parents were members of the Tea Party when she lived with them. She also mentioned that she once supported Sarah Palin, a national political figure.

Impact of Her Actions

A political writer named Maria Tomchick said that Marissa Johnson's interruption of Bernie Sanders' speech was very important. It helped the Black Lives Matter movement grow. This event helped the movement become a major national political topic in 2015.

Images for kids

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  Marissa Johnson speaking at a rally.