City’s Lowery Street facility rename to honor Joycelyn Johnson
Mayor Tempore Vivian Burke, incoming City Council Member Annette Scippio ,and State Rep. Derwin Montgomery unveil a sign outside the city’s Lowery Street facility, renaming the building after former council member Joycelyn Johnson.
For her years of service on the Winston-Salem City Council, serving the East Ward,. Joycelyn Johnson was honored on Saturday Nov. 17. The city’s Lowery Street facility, a Public Works facility, was renamed to honor her legacy.
Johnson served as the representative for the East Ward from 1993 until 2009. During that time she spearheaded several projects across the city. She is credited for rejuvenating areas along Patterson Avenue, Old Greensboro Road, New Walkertown Road, Dreamland Park, and the Fourteenth Street Community.
She also led business analysis for New Walkertown Road, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Liberty Street, and Lowery Street. Before the sign was unveiled last weekend, Johnson thanked her supporters throughout the East Ward and her co-workers.
She said without them she couldn’t have accomplished the things she did.
“… It’s all about you. For all the things that you think I’ve done, it’s because of all of you,” she said. “Regardless of the thickness of the forests we’ve been in, whether it was with housing, community and economic development or health care, you all have been a part of it.
“This is your day just as much as it is mine.” Johnson continued.
Incoming City Council member and East Ward Representative Annette Scippio, who grew up with Johnson, said her childhood friend was always the type of person who you would want in your corner.
“It’s wonderful that we’ve come together here today to honor my friend in such a wonderful way for the service she has given to our community,”
Former East Ward Representative and current State House Rep. Derwin Montgomery said despite competing against Johnson in two elections, they both had the same vision for the East Ward.
“Both of us had the same desire and that was to serve our community, and anyone who puts themselves out to serve an elected office deserves the honor to be respected in the manner that we’re here today,” said Montgomery, who is a co-owner of The Chronicle. “We have a great debt of gratitude that we owe to Johnson for her legacy and fingerprints that are all over.”
After the unveiling of the sign outside the building located at 2000 Lowery St., former Winston-Salem Alderman and member of the N.C. General AssemblyLarry Womble said Winston-Salem is a better place because of Johnson.
“I’d hate to see what Winston-Salem would be if we did not have her,” Womble said.
