Jamaican Professor Sonji Johnson-Anderson Wins 2026 Inspiration Award
Originally published by South Florida Caribbean News Read the original
WASHINGTON — Jamaican-born professor Sonji Johnson-Anderson will receive the African American Female Professor Award Association’s 2026 Inspiration Award for her leadership, scholarship and work to advance equity. She is also being honored for inclusion and student success in higher education.
Johnson-Anderson, a native of Port Maria, St. Mary, will be honored at the association’s 10th annual Crown & Gown Gala on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. The event will take place at the Sheraton Hotel in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The gala’s theme, “Crowned in Courage: Black Women Leading Change with Power and Purpose,” marks a decade of celebrating the achievements and contributions of African American women. Specifically, it highlights their accomplishments in academia.
AAFPAA founder and chair Traci Talbert said Johnson-Anderson’s work demonstrates the transformative power of scholarship, advocacy and healing. It is work committed to serving students and communities.
“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 in a letter announcing the honor.
Who Is Sonji Johnson-Anderson?
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 later conducted postdoctoral work at the university.
From 2017 to 2021, she directed the STEM AP Ambassadors Program. Her team’s work led to the first edition of “Empowering Underrepresented Students in Science: STEM Students Speak.”
Her research uses Black feminist epistemology, critical race theory and performance ethnography to examine the experiences of students and families. In particular, she studies groups marginalized within public and educational institutions.
Johnson-Anderson has taught at the primary, secondary and university levels in Western Massachusetts, New York City and Jamaica. She currently teaches world literature at Westfield State University in Massachusetts.
Education and Healing Across Borders
Beyond the classroom, Johnson-Anderson serves as co-executive director and director of educational initiatives at the Crossing the Waters Institute. She leads the development of educational programs in the United States and South Africa.
Through the institute, she addresses the historical and continuing wounds of slavery while fostering intercultural understanding. She also organizes international conferences and webinars focused on dialogue, education and healing across cultures.
Her recent work in South Africa and preparations for a visit to Benin reflect the international reach of her work in education. They also highlight her commitment to historical understanding and community engagement.
Talbert said the Inspiration Award recognizes leadership that transforms access into opportunity and advocacy into lasting institutional change.
Nikole Hannah-Jones to Join 2026 Crown & Gown Gala
The gala will also feature award-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of The 1619 Project and Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University. However, instead of delivering a traditional keynote address, Hannah-Jones will take part in a moderated conversation.
The event will bring together honorees and scholarship recipients to celebrate Black women in academia. It will also honor their contributions to education, leadership and social change.
For Johnson-Anderson, the award highlights a career connecting educational advancement with equity and historical understanding. It also recognizes her focus on healing across communities and national borders.
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