International photographer and North Central College alumnus to speak at Jan. 15 MLK Prayer Breakfast

North Central College alumnus and international photographer David W. Johnson will speak Jan. 15 at the College’s annual Prayer Breakfast honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hosted by College President Troy D. Hammond, the breakfast kicks off a week of celebratory activities honoring Dr. King.

Open to the community, the Prayer Breakfast will take place at 7 a.m. in Judy G. Stevenson Ratio Hall at the Dr. Myron Wentz Science Center. Reservations are required; contact Chelsea Armstrong at 630-637-5151 or studentaffairs@noctrl.edu.

Johnson’s work has appeared in Times Square, Fitness Magazine, Michigan Avenue Magazine, and many other national and international publications. His photography was also part of the global rebranding of Motorola Solutions, and his work has appeared in ESPN, Google, National Alzheimer’s Association and Microsoft.

At North Central, Johnson earned a degree in religious studies in 2007 and was a member of the track and field team. His interest in photography emerged during a spring break mission trip to El Salvador.

“For those two weeks I started to see a light in people that I had never quite seen before,” said Johnson. “This focus became the framework for my calling.”

Johnson’s parents met on campus, and he grew up splitting his time between Naperville and Chicago's South Side, giving him a variety of experiences to draw from in his work and mission.

“At the time I wanted to fit in both places, but over time I realized that this multicultural experience was a gift for me,” said Johnson. “It gave me perspective.”

His passion for service continued in his professional career, working extensively with non-profit and international aid organizations to raise funds for under-resourced communities around the world. He has traveled to Asia, Central America, East Africa, Eastern Europe and India.

An accomplished public speaker, Johnson was a presenter at the College’s annual TEDx talk, sharing how personal perspective can act like an internal camera lens.

Dr. King spoke to North Central students when he visited campus in 1960. Since then, the College honors and remembers his visit every year with a keynote presentation, musical tributes, a prayer breakfast and other activities. The College’s MLK Week is sponsored in part by Nicor Gas, the College’s offices of Multicultural Affairs and Ministry and Service, Cultural Events, Student Governing Association and Residence Life.

The College also welcomes Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, author, television host and political commentator, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Wentz Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center. Tickets are free to the North Central community and $5 per person for the public. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance by calling 630-637-7469. For information about Dr. Hill, click here.

*Mark Mullane ‘17/M ’19