Recognizing Fred Joseph Johnson, Jr.

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Fred Joseph Johnson, Jr., on the occasion of his recognition as a 2024 Southern University at New Orleans Center for African and African American Studies Living Legend. Mr. Johnson is receiving this high honor because of his dedicated service to the citizens of New Orleans.

For over 30 years, Mr. Johnson has dedicated his life to counseling families and individuals in the process of becoming and maintaining the rights, responsibilities, and privileges of homeownership. In 1993, Mr Johnson served as a co-founder of The Black Men of Labor Parade Club. BMOL focus is on preserving the history and culture of traditional jazz music, which is passed on from generation to generation, seeking to preserve traditional New Orleans Jazz by hiring musicians that play New Orleans Jazz Music as it was performed by such great Brass Bands as the Olympia, the Onward, the Tuxedo and the Eureka.

Fred J. Johnson, Jr. is known best as a community and cultural activist who focuses on creating social change. He has been employed with the Neighborhood Development Foundation since its inception in 1986 and was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in 2009. He remains committed to directly serving the needs of clients in asset building through the homeownership process. As a counselor and advocate for homeownership who has a no-nonsense delivery of the message, he is often asked to deliver that message by participating in numerous community lectures, forums, and television and radio talk show appearances.

As a counselor, Mr. Johnson provides housing and financial counseling to individuals and families seeking to build their assets through the purchase of property. He assists clients in the development of action plans to build their assets and resolve credit issues and advocating for clients throughout the entire home purchase process. Moreover, Mr. Johnson provides educational services to non-profit organizations and businesses around the country to enable them to provide those same services to their communities. As a housing advocate, Mr. Johnson participates in several housing organizations that shape housing policies and the industry that is responsible for its governance. He is presently the President of the Louisiana Housing Education Collaborative and a Board Member of the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance.

I am humbled to know and call him a personal friend. Fred is such a great man who has done so much to improve the lives of countless residents across my district. We are so honored to have Mr. Johnson, a true advocate for mankind.

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