PHYLLIS JOHNSON is a lifelong resident of Chicago. A retired professor, she taught at Columbia College for 27 years. She is a cofounder of Women of All Colors and Cultures Together (WACT), a community enhancing brunch group for queer women. In 2024, WACT was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame. Retirement has allowed her to become more active in her communities. She is a former participant, and current facilitator of, the LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project. She serves on the Board of Directors for Affinity Community Services, and the OutAging Advisory Committee of Pride Action Tank, AIDS Foundation. She also serves on the West Chesterfield Community Association, the community in Chicago that has always been Black.
Photo by Brissa Del Mar
Bio as of 02/2026