Princess Johnson
Princess Johnson is an international dancer, choreographer, entrepreneur, and motivator. She established a dance production company and school, Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet in 2009 where she has created six original dance productions, has taught hundreds of students, and even led a team to bring world renowned ballerina, Misty Copeland to Greensboro, NC in 2014. She is a visionary and truly believes in the power of never losing your momentum.
Lavinia Jackson
Lavinia Jackson, aka, “Momma Love”, is a multi-award winning author and poet. She has been involved with Greensboro’s Juneteenth celebrations, almost since inception, lending whatever support was needed. This year, as a member of the Executive Committee, she partnered with the Carolina Theater, which is a first for both. Her event, Thursday night, highlights the Black Women in the Arts.
Dr. Zitty Nxumalo
Zithobile (Dr. Z) was born in Swaziland, southern Africa, and moved to Greensboro, North Carolina with her family when she was 4 years old. In 2016, she was recognized as one of the Triad Business Journal’s 40 Leaders Under 40, and her love for community work led her to become one of the co-founders of We the People International in 2020. Dr. Z was recently awarded the 2021 Leadership Greensboro Service Medal for her commitment to leadership and her extensive community involvement. She was also featured alongside Mrs. Shirley Frye in a keynote conversation for the 2021 City of Greensboro Annual MLK Commemorative Program. She is the 2021 Impact Committee Chair for Greensboro’s community-led Juneteenth effort.
Dr. Z earned her B.S. in Business Management from Guilford College, her M.A. in Communication Studies from UNC-Greensboro, and her Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from NC A&T State University.
April Parker
April Parker (she/her) has been at the forefront and front lines of organizing in Greensboro, NC. She is a cultural worker and architect of black spaces using public scholarship, radical librarianship, performance art, and direct action. As a community organizer and archivist April centers the lives, histories, legacies, resiliency, and magic of queer and trans-Black people; while working exhaustively at the intersections of social justice movements to create opportunities for institutional accountability, intergenerational relationship building and creative expressions of resistance. April is a black queer femme, a revolutionary mama, and a twin. Her heart work of grassroots organizing emphasizes the liberation and prosperity of Black folks. Parker drives movements forward, agitating public discourse to address systemic oppression and institutional racism to uplift Blackness. April Parker has been cultivating Juneteenth events since 2014, in partnership with Nia Flowers, Fahiym Hannah, James Shield and countless other community members. April led the charge with Councilwoman Sharon Hightower to make Juneteenth an official holiday in the city of Greensboro and coauthored the resolution that was unanimously voted and passed by Greensboro City Council in May 2020.
April currently serves as a Media Specialist for Guilford County Schools and is the inaugural Creative Catalyst Fellow at Elsewhere.
Joi Stewart
“Educator and Founder of Build One, Build Some, Build All.”
Born in Yonkers, NY and raised in Charlotte and Greensboro, NC, Joi Stewart is a 22 year old educator, dancer, and servant leader by both passion and practice. She is an alum of Dudley High School and Spelman College.
In 2017, Joi turned her life’s work into a passion project by founding Build One, Build Some, Build All (BOBSBA). This network promotes the holistic health and development of communities experiencing poverty globally. Through documenting, assessing, and innovating current practices into ones that foster and sustain mindful individuals, Joi hopes to continue strengthening communities worldwide.
Nicole J. Walker
Nicole J Walker, Community Member and Organizing & Productivity Consultant, is the Administrative & Facilities Manager of Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet.
As the mother of four artists, Nicole is a supporter and advocate of the arts & community. She always finds ways to make sure the arts are incorporated in her children’s lives while learning and teaching them to be proud and unapologetic of their Blackness.
Along the way, Nicole learned about Juneteenth. In 2019, she consulted with the planning, designing and implementation of a Juneteenth event with the goal of increasing awareness and setting the foundation for an annual celebration.
Nicole is elated to be among a group of people to fulfill the vision. She proudly serves as the Event Manager & Designer for the Arts Legacy Awards and the Creator & Event Chair for Juneteenth Gospel Superfest: Interfaith Celebration.
Welcome to the Annual Juneteenth Celebration!
Joseph A. Wilkerson III
Joseph Wilkerson III moved to Greensboro NC after graduating high school in Fayetteville to attend NC A&T State University in 1988 to study Architectural Engineering. While in college, he started working at UPS in 1990 and is currently still employed there. An artist, entrepreneur, and visionary… it wasn’t until after he began transitioning out of college that he realized he should have been in college to not just get a job, but to create jobs.
Between 1995 to present day, Joseph has launched several business ventures that included an urban-themed film festival, a magazine, an iPhone app, and a working artist studio. It was in 2006 when he became intrigued about the idea of revitalizing and rebranding the “Black side” of Greensboro as Uptown, and in 2018, Wilkerson launch Uptown GSO, Inc as a community development nonprofit.
Juneteenth GSO 