Who We Are

Toni Johnson Wakefield, Executive Director

Toni Johnson Wakefield is the Executive Director of We Must Vote, Inc. (C3) and leads its sister organization, the We Must Vote Action Fund (C4), both dedicated to advancing voting rights and expanding access to the ballot box across the South. Under her leadership, the organizations have mobilized thousands of voters throughout Mississippi and Texas, with a special focus on rural communities, HBCUs, community colleges, and justice-impacted individuals.

Personally justice-impacted, Toni has transformed lived experience into purpose-driven leadership, using her story to inspire and empower others who have historically been excluded from civic participation. She is deeply committed to ensuring that young women of color in marginalized communities are equipped with leadership opportunities through civic engagement, helping cultivate the next generation of advocates and changemakers. Her work centers on rights restoration, grassroots organizing, voter education, and dismantling systemic barriers that suppress voter participation in underserved communities.

A former Election Commissioner, Toni brings both policy expertise and lived experience to her advocacy and organizing efforts. She has led statewide civic engagement initiatives, voting rights campaigns, and community outreach programs focused on increasing democratic participation among rural residents, returning citizens, and first-time voters.

Beyond her professional commitments, Toni is a proud wife, mother, and dog mom to her spirited Yorkie, Misty Chanel. She holds a Master of Public Policy & Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Belhaven University.