The amazing Linda Johnson based in Huddersfield was one of The Africa4u Award Winners at The Africa4u Awards for African and Caribbean Achievers living in West Yorkshire. The well attended event was held on Friday the 6th of May at The City Library in Bradford.
Information about Linda can be found below
PERSONAL BIO
Linda comes from a family of community leadership in Huddersfield her father was
one of the first black magistrates and business owners of Silver Sands/Cleopatra’s
nightclub aka “Venn Street” in the 1970 & 80’s in Huddersfield. Business and
community are her blood.
She spent 18 years working in the criminal justice system and the first woman to
be chair of the National Black Police Association 2009. Linda held a portfolio
around, gun & knife crime, stop and search and advocated not only for serving
black police officers but also the community at ministerial level post MacPherson.
She is an experienced and qualified trainer delivering training internationally on
black history, leadership, diversity, advocacy and safeguarding.
She is a fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs SSE 2017 and has an active
social enterprise Young Gifted & Black Enterprises which offers training,
workshops, event management and education for the benefit of the black
community.
She has worked in many public sector roles and currently holds portfolios around
Housing, Employment, children & young people and health and wellbeing.
She has been recognised her public roles and community activities to name a few
– Outstanding contribution to vulnerable victims of crime
– NBPA best community engagement programme Natural born Leaders for 3
consecutive years 2006-2009.
– Awarded for outstanding contribution to effective change in housing sector
– Shortlisted for European Diversity Award 2021 for best community project
Iroko
Linda was the founding Director and education lead for Young Gifted & black
supplementary school a montly Saturday school for children from the African &
Caribbean community teaching STEAM subjects and black history based at the
University of Huddersfield.
YGB does not accept any formal funding or grants and as such can remain authentic and genuine in the focus on the progression of black children.
That said most importantly Linda is the mother of two gifted black children who
has the battle scars from fighting the system to ensure they are the best that they
can be.
She describes herself as a Pan Africanist activist and self determination in the
community and calls upon the wisdom of our great ancestors like John Henrik
Clarke historian and educator who said, “We have been educated into believing someone else’s concept of the deity, and someone else’s standard of beauty. You have the right to practice any religion and politics in a way that best suits your freedom, your dignity, and your understanding. And once you do that, you don’t apologize”
Linda believes that education, unity, empowerment and black on black solutions are the
only way we can move forward as a people.
TONY TOKUNBO ETEKA FERNANDEZ 