Ambassadors

Donald Brown

A renowned sculptor and artist, from The Global Gallery has created this extremely moving and pertinent piece of art to capture the plight and history of the African diaspora through time. It's time to tell the truth about the multitude of positive contributions that the African diaspora has made to the world at large and in order to promote that movement and teach future generations the reality of what really happened, Donald Brown has created a set of three prints, the sales from which will help to erect a multitude of 10-foot statues around the world depicting the history of the transatlantic slave trade.

Prints and or sculptures by this renowned artist are already owned by or displayed at:

Royal Air Force in Cosford, U.K.
The ANC in South Africa.
Morehouse College in Atlanta, USA.
Benedicta College in South Carolina, USA.
Life University in Atlanta, USA
The National Black Theatre Festival, North Carolina, USA.
Beyoncé.
General Colin Powell.
Deloris Jordan, Mother of Michael Jordan.
John Brennan, Former Director of the CIA.
Ban Ki-moon, The Eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations.
IMAN, Somali-American fashion model.
Naomi Campbell, fashion model.

Giles Peterson

Gilles Peterson is a broadcaster, DJ and record collector who hosts a weekly Saturday afternoon show on BBC Radio 6 Music that’s one of the broadcaster’s most popular music shows, helms independent record label Brownswood Recordings, and is the founder of online radio station Worldwide FM. Gilles also hosts the Worldwide FM radio station on the GTA V computer game.

Throughout his career, Peterson has promoted the new frontiers of jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music. Starting by installing illicit transmitters and hosting shows for pirate radio station Radio Invicta, he later joined the newly founded Jazz FM and, after that, joined the pirate-turned-legal station Kiss FM. In 1998, BBC Radio 1 hired him, where he hosted a weekly show until his move to his current slot on BBC Radio 6 Music.

He has been behind several game-changing record labels. Firstly, he founded Acid Jazz in the late eighties, and in the early nineties he started Talkin’ Loud where five of the albums on the label were nominated for a Mercury Music Prize. His current venture is Brownswood Recordings and as a curator and collector, he’s compiled over 100 albums.

In 2011, he founded the Steve Reid Foundation in memory of the legendary jazz drummer. The charity supports musicians who are ill and facing financial difficulties and, jointly with the PRS Foundation, runs the Steve Reid InNOVAtion Award, which has supported upcoming artists such as Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia and Sarathy Korwar.

Since 2005, he has hosted the annual Worldwide Awards in London and Worldwide Festival in Sète, France, and in 2019, he launched the new We Out Here festival in the UK. In early 2021, Giles released the Str4ta album (with Bluey from Incognito) and his first full-length book ‘Lockdown FM -Broadcasting In A Pandemic’.

Michael Andrew Naylor

A Bedford local, Michael found his love for dancing at 2Step Dance company, inspiring him to persue a career in performing. He graduated from London Studio Centre in 2013 and has since performed and choreographed in theatres, arenas, stadiums, TV and film.

Hes danced on The Voice, X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent alongside artists such as Pink, Ellie Goulding, Will.I.Am and most recently, the Spice Girls. He's been featured dancer and Associate Choreographer on the hit West end show 'Bat Out Of Hell', touring to Canada, Germany and New York, as well as performing internationally in hip-hop theatre shows Blaze, Some like it Hiphop and Message in a bottle.

Jaron Johnson

A 2Step alumni, Jaron was born in Bedford and started his dance life at the age of 13, going on to secure a scholarship at Stella Mann. Jaron would later take over 2Step Dance company at the age of 19 while working with Britain’s most successful girl group, Little Mix.

Jaron started his own film and Photography company iamnowcreative, taking on contracts from EasyJet and Dove on international campaigns.

Ben Hukin

Ben grew up in Bromham, spending most of his childhood in the 2 Step Dance Company studios. He left Bedford at the age of 16 to pursue a career as a dancer, after earning the Lion King scholarship from the Urdang Academy.

Ben has worked with some of the industry’s top creatives including the likes of JaQuel Knight, Christian Owens, Ashley Wallen and Fatima Robinson. He has appeared at Glastonbury, The Brit Awards, Mexico’s MTV MIAWS, Capitals Summer Time and Jingle Bell Ball and The Graham Norton Show as well as supporting international pop stars such as Zara Larsson, Liam Payne and Kylie Minogue on tour.

Recently, Ben has been working on an original Netflix Movie, Jingle Jangle, premiering winter 2020 and directed by David Talbot.

We look forward to working with Ben in the future, encouraging participation in the arts and community cohesion.

Junior Green

Bedfordian Junior Green is an award-winning hairdresser and founder of the Junior Green Hair Salon; he is recognised as a formidable force in the UK hairdressing industry during a career spanning over 30 years, and as an inspiration to Afro-stylists nationwide.

His awards include: British Afro Hairdresser of the Year, Stylist /Southern Stylist/Bridal Stylist of the Year and Styling Team of the Year.
Junior is 4-time inductee of the Black Beauty/Sensationnel Hall of Fame.

A Bedford local, Junior opened his inaugural hair salon on Midland Road. After gaining notoriety, his hair entrepreneurial empire grew, now covering Kensington, Notting Hill, Bayswater, Chelsea, Hammersmith, and Shepherds Bush.

Junior is a mentor for aspiring Afro-hairstylists, heading up an award-winning team who are following in his footsteps.

We look forward to working further with Junior in the future!

Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Mosca

Dannielle well known as Rhimes Lecointe is a London based Visionary, displaying her artistic qualities as a Choreographer, Spoken Artist, Speaker and Business owner. Crafting together dance, acting and choreography amongst her many talents. Her performance, has played many different roles on both stage and screen.

In 2006 Rhimes appeared in the film Life & Lyrics and later that year went on to play the lead role of 'Rap-On-Zel' in ZooNation Dance Company's critically acclaimed award-winning West End show ‘Into the Hoods’ from 2006 to 2009. Later working on ‘Into The Hoods Remixed’ in 2016 as a choreographer. The Boy Blue veteran landed a part in Boy Blue’s Olivier Award winning production Pied Piper and their barbican sensation Over the Edge.

In 2010 screens embrace her as the character 'Justine' in the box office smash hit film Street Dance 3D. In 2012 Boadicea Crew took to the screen by her leadership and reached the finals of Got to Dance (Sky One) and were later introduced back onto the show as a Supercrew in 2013.

As a Choreographer and performer, Dannielle joined forces with Ashley Banjo and her and her company Boadicea danced with Diversity on their arena tours ‘Digitized’,’Limitless’, ‘Limitless The Reboot’ and ITV’s ‘Up Close and Personal’.

As an Assistant Choreographer and Dance Captain, Dannielle poured into a team of over 500 people at 2012 ‘Olympic Opening Ceremonies’ which came after her role working as assistant choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance (BBC) 2010. Dannielle is associate choreographer on ‘Everybody’s talking about Jamie’ West End, The UK Tour, The Movie and the newly announced Australian tour and then took on the role as Resident Director on the west end production.

She was associate choreographer on ‘An Officer and a Gentlemen in the Leicester Curve and Artist Director of Zoonation Youth Company in Birmingham, Dannielle Directed ‘Groove on down the Road’ at Wolverhampton Arena Theatre, Birmingham Hippodrome and Southampton Mayflower theatre. And is currently Associate Director of Zoonation: The Kate Prince Company. Dannielle was recently nominated for the OFFIES best Choreography/Movement award. Her recently work includes Dick Whittington at the National Theatre and The Sun, The Moon and The Stars at the Stratford East Theatre Royal and Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World.

Other credits include choreographer on Wayne McGregor’s campaign ‘EVERYbody’ at Selfridges London, judge and Mentor on ‘BBC Young Dancer’. Dannielle is the Founder and CEO of IMPowerHer, a coaching movement that helps female leaders cultivate courage and give themselves permission to build their dream life.

DJ Spoony

Spoony’s other love is football. In 2003 he joined BBC Radio 5 Live to host ‘606’, a weekly phone in show. He has also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, The Weakest link and won an edition of Celebrity Mastermind.

His broadcasting experience and football knowledge saw him signed up The Premier League for their own channel. He is currently presenting two shows on the network and has been since 2014.

Lockdown saw Spoony take to the digital airwaves hosting ‘Spoony’s House’ streams from his home playing all the music and genres he loves across 2 weekly shows. The ‘Brunch’ on Sunday now has a cult following.

Ambassadors

Donald Brown

Giles Peterson

Michael Andrew Naylor

Jaron Johnson

Ben Hukin

Junior Green

Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Mosca

DJ Spoony

More Ambassadors to come...