We recently connected with Johnna Flood and have shared our conversation below.

Johnna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Elevated Denver’s mission is deeply rooted in addressing systemic inequities that perpetuate homelessness and social inequities. Through our work, we aim to reshape how we approach these challenges by placing power in the hands of those who have directly experienced them—ensuring solutions come from the community, for the community. The work is about more than just offering immediate relief; it is about creating long-term, sustainable change by identifying and addressing the root causes of homelessness.

What makes this work so important is the understanding that current systems are not working for the people they are meant to serve. Homelessness has reached record levels, not because there aren’t resources, but because accessing them is complex and often impossible for those in crisis. Elevated Denver’s approach—gathering insights from community-level data, and running Collaboratories to design and incubate micro-solutions—aims to make the system more accessible and responsive, helping people reach stability sooner and with more dignity.

This work is about standing with the people of Denver as a partner empowering those who know the struggles first-hand to lead. It’s about changing the way we think about social challenges, emphasizing human connection, and focusing on holistic, equity-centered solutions that make people feel valued and seen. Elevated Denver is about systemic change and building something sustainable that can inspire similar efforts beyond Denver.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

From a young age, I developed a strong sense of social justice, which was deepened during college when I studied social movements and connected with leaders from the civil rights movement. I began wrestling with the contradiction between the ideals of caring for everyone in the U.S. and the reality that many are left behind. After college, I entered the field of social science research and evaluation, finding my passion in community-based participatory research (CBPR). This allowed me to engage directly with communities, learning about their struggles, like limited access to healthcare, and the contextual factors needed to support meaningful change.

My focus shifted toward public health, leading me to pursue a Master’s in Public Health at UC Berkeley. During that time, I expanded my skillset, incorporating methodologies like Collective Impact and human-centered design. One of my most impactful experiences was working with the West Oakland community to address the lack of affordable, quality childcare, which kept many families in poverty. Together, we developed Gma Village, a program that connected low-income families with grandmothers to provide care, offering both economic support and community connection.

After relocating back to Denver, and through the experiences of raising two children, I sought ways to apply my skills locally. By listening to individuals experiencing homelessness and collaborating with those working at a systemic level, I found my place at Elevated Denver. Here, I’ve been able to amplify marginalized voices and create opportunities to co-design compassionate, equitable systems that truly reflect the needs and wisdom of the community.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

As a nonprofit, we don’t operate like a traditional business—we aren’t focused on gaining customers or building capital. But we also stand apart from many nonprofits. Instead of providing direct services, we take a broader view, examining the entire system to identify both its strengths and where it breaks down. Through research and collaboration, we bring together cross-sector leaders and lived experts to address systemic challenges in a meaningful, lasting way.

This approach is often misunderstood. Many funders aren’t sure how to engage with our work because it doesn’t fit the conventional mold. As a result, we’ve relied heavily on those who are deeply passionate about our mission, people willing to contribute their time and expertise because they believe in our vision for change. The reality is that only those who recognize the need for a different approach—and who understand the value of continuous learning and adaptation—will resonate with our model.

As we continue to build, test, and refine our approach, we are always looking to engage new partners and investors who share our belief in long-term systemic change. We’re committed to sharing our insights and learnings with the broader field, showing that real transformation requires a willingness to think differently and work collaboratively.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I am constantly learning and growing, both personally and as a leader. In building and shaping Elevated Denver, several books have profoundly influenced my thinking and approach. Dr. Monica Sharma’s Radical Transformational Leadership has been foundational to both our organizational approach and my own leadership style. Peter Block’s Communities: The Structure of Belonging—despite being published decades ago—remains a guiding text for me as I work alongside communities, offering timeless wisdom on connection and engagement. Another pivotal work, My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem, has deepened my understanding of community, trauma, and healing. Lastly, Design Justice: Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need by Sasha Costanza-Chock has shaped our commitment to equitable design and power sharing, reinforcing the importance of centering those most impacted in the solutions we create.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://elevateddenver.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevateddenver.co/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elevateddenver.co/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevated-denver/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcCtNk8yJMUBPkGZ–L-qg
• Other: https://rss.com/podcasts/elevateddenver/