Feb 2, 2025 Story by: Editor
On January 7, Renard Johnson made history by being elected as the first Black mayor of El Paso. Originally from the southside of Chicago, Johnson’s family moved to El Paso when he was just seven months old. His journey began in the northeast, where he attended Terrace Hills Elementary and Andress High School, and later led him to the University of Texas at El Paso. Today, he holds an office in El Paso’s City Hall.
“That journey and that foundation is what led me to eventually want to start my own company, get that going, and then ultimately giving back to the community whether it’s through charity, philanthropy, what have you,” Johnson said. “I got to a point where I wanted to give back to the city, so I decided to run for mayor.”
Johnson’s election represents a significant milestone for El Paso. Being the first Black individual to hold such a position in a city with a small Black population is undoubtedly challenging, but it also symbolizes progress and a shift in perspectives.
“I know I’m Black. Make no mistake that I don’t know that I’m Black, and I’m very proud to carry that with me,” Johnson said. “I feel that pressure, but I am also very proud of this community where it’s allowed me to be who I am. It gave me my education. It gave me all my memories, and it gave me all my deep friendships. And that’s what El Paso is.”
Despite the challenges, Johnson remains undeterred by any pressures related to his race.
“I’m so super proud of El Paso because El Paso, primarily 82-83% Hispanic, has elected their first Black mayor, and that shows you the city that we have: that you can be of any color, any nationality, any gender, it doesn’t matter. This city embraces you,” Johnson remarked.
Looking ahead, Johnson plans to serve the city as it has served him, with goals to improve the city’s safety ranking, graduate retention rates, officer recruitment, job opportunities, and investments in tourism and recreation.
“If there’s areas for improvement, we certainly have to look at them. We can come to some common ground as a community that will allow us to do expansion and also preservation of areas that are important to El Paso,” Johnson said. “I think we’re going to find that balance, but I think it’s going to take the entire El Paso community to make that happen.”
Immigration played a key role in this past election, especially with President-Elect Donald Trump signaling that immigration raids and mass deportations would be central to his administration’s policy. For a city whose economy and culture are deeply influenced by movement across the southern border, such possible federal restrictions are concerning.
“We don’t see the border like other parts of the country. It’s one where we flow freely back and forth,” Johnson said. “There are people who work for me that go back and forth across the border on a daily basis, two or three times. And a lot of us have family members over there, and they have family members here.”
To preserve this vital aspect of El Paso’s identity—its embrace of immigration—Johnson believes it is crucial to challenge misconceptions.
“We can dispel any myths or any falsehoods about El Paso and tell the truth. It’s safe, it’s a beautiful community, and we’ve got to invite people to El Paso. We’ve got to shine that light on El Paso. We’ve got to let them know that the narrative that they painted about our community – it’s just not true,” Johnson said. “Come down and see us. Let us show you how beautiful we are.”
Johnson also encourages students to get involved in highlighting the city’s strengths.
“If you get outside of your comfort zone, you’re going to be surprised at what can happen. I encourage you guys to get involved. I encourage you guys to be vocal. I encourage you guys to be a part of your community. I encourage you guys to get out there and make a change. This is your community,” Johnson urged. Source: The Prospector Daily
