Darien JohnsonAlso teaches Composition at:
UCLADarien Johnson
M.F.A. in Theatre, Brown University, 2012
B.A. in Journalism/Mass Communications, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2003
Professor Darien Johnson is a Lecturer in the Writing Program at UCLA, a faculty member at West Los Angeles College, and a Teaching Artist at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
A trained actor and experienced performer with a background in media studies, Darien brings unparalleled energy to his teaching (think student reviews like “captivating” and “entertaining” and assignments based on music videos and photojournalism)
Darien has taught for twelve years, beginning as Teaching Artist while completing his MFA in Theater at Brown University. He's worked as a tutor for high school students, as a facilitator of theater and performance workshops, as the owner of his own tutoring company, as an English curriculum designer for LAPD cadet education programs, and now as a Lecturer focusing on first and second-year writing Composition and Public Speaking courses at UCLA.
My advanced broadcast and documentary teacher Melody Gilbert. She was a media guru and guerilla filmmaker. Her energy was contagious and she had so much knowledge about the industry and producing your own projects. I learned a lot from her.
I really want to be U.S. Secretary of State. There's a whole other career in foreign policy that I would have liked to have done. There's still time.
I'm very interested in history, specifically, right now, unknown black history. So I'm studying the story of the three Alexandre Dumases, black senators during Reconstruction, and William Sheppard, a 19th century black missionary who worked in Africa.
I've always been a bit of a ham growing up as a child — there's video somewhere. But I became very shy during adolescence. Initially, writing helped me to express myself without breaking out of my shell fully. And eventually writing led to being selected to speak publicly and sing, and that led to performance opportunities, including acting. I loved all of these things because they allowed me to express myself, and I felt alive in a way that I hadn't before.
This is such a hard question. But practically, rib eye steak. From a decadent perspective, cheesecake.
I read daily devotions and affirmations. Most recently, I read a devotion that reminded me that I am strong and have accomplished great things. I try to not only look at what's next to conquer but also to spend some time basking in the accomplishments I've worked hard for and have now achieved. This is something I also try to encourage my students to do, even within their classes.
I'm a huge thinker and interested in a lot of things, but when I relax and get out of my head, I watch reality TV. The junkier the better
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