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NBC News’ Kristen Welker got married in Philly over the weekend

NBC News’ Kristen Welker got married in Philly over the weekend

March 6, 2017 by Dr. Kevin R Johnson in /

Philly wedding bells recently rang for NBC White House correspondent Kristen Welker, who married fiancé John Hughes in a ceremony at the Hyatt at the Bellevue over the weekend.

As HughE Dillon reports, Welker’s wedding took place in the Hyatt’s Rose Ballroom this past weekend, with attendees including NBC reporter Kelly O’Donnell, Meet the Press’ Chuck Todd, CNBC’s (and former NBC10 favorite) Aditi Roy, and Alan Greenspan, among others.

The pair were married by Dare to Imagine Church’s Rev. Kevin Johnson, who posted some photos of the ceremony to social media:

Another guest shared an image showing Welker and Hughes’ first dance as a couple, which Dillon reports was to “At Last” by Etta James:

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Philadelphia OIC gets $150K to launch a coding bootcamp for low-income youth

Philadelphia OIC gets $150K to launch a coding bootcamp for low-income youth

December 30, 2015 by Dr. Kevin R Johnson in /

Fourteen thousand unfilled jobs.

That was the number Dr. Kevin Johnson found when he looked into the market for tech jobs in Philadelphia. The data comes from Burning Glass Technologies via the White House’s TechHire Initiative.

Johnson couldn’t get over that. The 41-year-old new CEO of North Philly’s Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), he knew he wanted to develop new job training programs for the 51-year-old workforce development nonprofit and when he looked at the stats, it was obvious what kind. A coding boot camp.

Backed by a $150,000 Lenfest Foundation grant and a $25,000 Comcast grant, Philadelphia OIC will launch a series of 12-week, free coding boot camps for youth and young adults called CODE OIC, starting in February at Parkway Center City High School in Callowhill. (We first told you about this last month, when Johnson spoke at Comcast’s first diversity summit.)

“I want my legacy at OIC to be that Dr. Johnson created the pathway for digital jobs for many in Philadelphia.”
KEVIN JOHNSON, OIC

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New director of OIC, job-training outfit, faces challenges – Philly.com

New director of OIC, job-training outfit, faces challenges – Philly.com

January 16, 2015 by Dr. Kevin R Johnson in /

by Jane M. Von Bergen, Inquirer Staff Writer

More than 50 years ago, Zion Baptist Church’s pastor, the Rev. Leon Sullivan, the “Lion of Zion,” created a roaring economic engine designed to empower African Americans through self-help, job training, and community investment.

These days, no one would describe one of the pillars of Sullivan’s vision, the Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center, as roaring.

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Philly’s Ultimatum: Adequately Fund Our Schools or Face City-Wide Boycott

Philly’s Ultimatum: Adequately Fund Our Schools or Face City-Wide Boycott

August 13, 2013 by Dr. Kevin R Johnson in /

Parent: ‘We’re looking at funding schools so that buildings can open, rather than funding schools that can educate children. That’s a terrible and dangerous standard.’
by
Lauren McCauley, staff writer

Shunning a claim by Philadelphia school officials that the city only needs $50 million to open school doors on September 9th, parents, students and community leaders are threatening a district-wide boycott of the city’s public schools if the city does not secure the full amount of funding necessary to ensure safe, effective schools.

Rev. Kevin Johnson stands with parents and students in a rally against short-changing Phildelphia’s public school budget. (Photo: Abdul Sulayman/ Philadelphia Tribune) Read More

Pastor Urges Parents to Boycott School if District Doesn’t Receive Full Funding

August 13, 2013 by Dr. Kevin R Johnson in /

Officials have until Friday, superintendent says, to provide $50 million in funding or else schools may not open on-time

By David Chang and Vince Lattanzio

Don’t send your kids to school if the district doesn’t receive $180 million. That’s the message Reverend Dr. Kevin R. Johnson sent to parents Monday night during a town hall meeting on the Philadelphia School budget crisis. Read More