Nesta N. Johnson is a Family Law Staff Attorney at the National Center for Lesbian Rights. She also serves as an active member of CRSJ's Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Education Committees.
Nesta N. Johnson
Civil Rights and Social Justice Member Spotlight
Where are you from? How have your experiences here, or throughout your upbringing, influenced your passions and aspirations today?
That’s a complicated question! I was born in Miami, Florida. I grew up (until age 12) on Long Island in New York. During middle/high school I lived in Mendocino, California for a year and upstate New York in the Adirondacks for a few years.
Growing up as a person of color in predominantly white areas, moving around a lot, and spending time in foster care influenced me to be less accepting of stereotypes about people living in rural areas, more convinced of the importance of having early personal experiences interacting with people from diverse cultures and viewpoints, and professionally focused on how society can ensure that safety, community, and belonging are accessible to everyone - especially young people.
What drives you?
I am driven by the desire to be a good hiker on the trail of life (to leave the place better than I found it) and to be of service. I was definitely influenced by members of my family who chose to pursue careers in “helping” professions.
My favorite quote is by Rabindranath Tagore (FRAS): “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”
What does social justice mean to you?
Social justice to me means a world where the lessons we teach kindergarteners are followed by adults. A world where dreams don’t have to compromise with reality. A world where everyone’s family is different, but everyone’s family deserves respect.
A world where adults share, tell the truth, and use power for protecting, not for hurting. A world where we all follow the Golden Rule. A world where everyone can live happily ever after.
What do you feel is the greatest challenge to social justice today?
The greatest challenge to social justice is dehumanization. The tendency to divide into “us” and “them” and to focus on the differences – which always, always are dwarfed by the similarities! – to the point of forgetting the “other side’s” humanity.
What is a piece of advice to give law students and young lawyers that want to make a meaningful impact on civil rights and social justice in today’s world?
I don’t think they need any advice from me! They’re out here rocking it. I am so impressed that the young people coming up are conscious of secondary trauma and burnout and are prioritizing their own mental health and economic welfare.
They are holding people around them accountable to the values they claim to stand for – all year long, not just in February, or in June. That’s how real change happens.
What CRSJ project(s) are you working on? Or, what have you undertaken in CRSJ that you found most rewarding to have worked on? Are there any upcoming events or projects you want us all to know about?
I recently helped with planning for the fantastic webinar, Exposing the Impact of Curriculum and Book Bans: Education for the Public and Not the Few. I am hoping to collaborate with the Disability Rights Committee to deliver a program.
Many people who identify as disabled also identify as LGBTQ+ and vice versa, and I am hopeful that such a program will be helpful for ABA members and their clients.
What do you do to relax in your spare time?
I enjoy spending time with my dogs, Zeus and Zelda, curating my K-pop album collection, gardening, crafting, and gaming.
What is one thing most people do not know about you that you feel they should?
Nesta is a proud member of the Friends of The Big Duck and encourages anyone visiting Long Island to check out this important (and Instagram-worthy) national landmark!
Nesta N. Johnson
Family Law Staff Attorney, National Center for Lesbian Rights
Nesta N. Johnson, Esq. joined the National Center for Lesbian Rights as an LGBTQ+ family law attorney in 2020, continuing a career focused on advocating for children and families. Nesta works to advance the rights of LGBTQ+ parents, parents of LGBTQ+ youth, and diverse families through legislative and policy advocacy, public and professional education, and impact litigation. Through NCLR’s helpline, Nesta and her colleagues provide LGBTQ+ community members with information, resources, and legal connections, as well as technical assistance for practitioners. Nesta advocates for equitable access to health care, including reproductive and trans care, and works at the intersections of LGBTQ+ rights and economic, gender, racial, and disability justice. Nesta believes that every child deserves to grow up in a safe, supportive, and accepting home and community, and that every family is entitled to recognition, respect, and equality. Nesta is active in CRSJ's Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Education Committees. Nesta also is an active member of the ABA’s Family Law Section, and serves as faculty for the Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence.