Jamaican-born professor Sonji Johnson-Anderson to receive 2026 Inspiration Award

Jamaican-born academic Sonji Johnson-Anderson has been named a recipient of the 2026 Inspiration Award from the African American Female Professor Award Association (AAFPAA), in recognition of her contributions to education, scholarship and equity in higher education.

Johnson-Anderson, who hails from Port Maria, St. Mary, will receive the award at the association’s 10th annual Crown & Gown Gala on Nov. 7 at the Sheraton Hotel in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The gala, held under the theme “Crowned in Courage: Black Women Leading Change with Power and Purpose,” marks a decade of recognizing the achievements and contributions of African American women in academia.

In a letter notifying Johnson-Anderson of her selection, AAFPAA Founder and Chairperson Traci Talbert praised her work in scholarship, advocacy and student support.

“Your work reaches far beyond any single title, embodying the power of scholarship, advocacy, and healing in service to the students and communities you serve,” Talbert wrote.

Johnson-Anderson earned a doctorate in teacher education and school improvement from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2018, after completing an Education Specialist degree in 2016. She also undertook postdoctoral work at the university.

Her doctoral dissertation, Mother Ethnography: A Performance of Possibility, reflects one strand of her academic research. Her broader work draws on Black feminist epistemology, critical race theory and performance ethnography to examine the experiences of students and families marginalized within public and educational institutions.

From 2017 to 2021, Johnson-Anderson served as director of the STEM AP Ambassadors Programme, leading a team that produced the first edition of Empowering Underrepresented Students in Science: STEM Students Speak.

Published in 2021, the book, co-authored with Ranjana Lingutla and Margaret Riley, examines a student-support programme at UMass Amherst and explores how mentoring, research opportunities and inclusive academic communities can help students from underrepresented groups succeed in science.

Johnson-Anderson has taught at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels in Western Massachusetts, New York City and Jamaica. She currently lectures in world literature at Westfield State University in Massachusetts.

Her work also extends to cultural education and the preservation of historical memory. In May 2025, she introduced Puerto Rican music and dance group Bomba de Aqui at an event at Westfield State University that explored the African roots of bomba and its evolution in Puerto Rico.

Beyond the classroom, Johnson-Anderson serves as co-executive director and director of educational initiatives at the Crossing the Waters Institute, where she leads the development of educational programmes in the United States and South Africa.

The institute works to address the historical and continuing effects of slavery while promoting intercultural understanding. Johnson-Anderson’s responsibilities include organizing international conferences and webinars that encourage dialogue, education and healing across cultures.

Her recent work in South Africa and preparations for a visit to Benin further demonstrate the international scope of her efforts to connect education with historical understanding and community engagement.

Talbert said the Inspiration Award recognizes leadership that expands access to opportunity and turns advocacy into lasting institutional change.

The Nov. 7 gala will also feature award-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of The 1619 Project and the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University. Hannah-Jones will participate in a moderated, interview-style conversation rather than deliver a traditional keynote address.

The event will bring together honorees and scholarship recipients to celebrate Black women’s contributions to academia, education, leadership and social change.

Johnson-Anderson’s recognition highlights the work of a Jamaican-born educator whose research and international engagement connect educational advancement with efforts to promote equity, preserve cultural heritage and foster historical understanding across communities and national borders.