Queen

Founder and C.E.O. of Fort Collins’ first Black and Black Women-Led Non-Profit and Black Owned DEI Consultant Firm, Dedria Johnson, who goes by and prefers her chosen name “Queen”, is a 17-year resident of Larimer County, where she continues her journey as a Lived Experience Expert in marginalizing and oppressive systems—the most prevalent being the school pipeline to the prison system. With her sons, Queen has guided decisions to engage different Advisory Boards and Councils, Boards and Commissions since COVID-19 exacerbated racial inequities on all levels and in all our systems in Larimer County.

Queen isn’t just at the table, her passion for equity has produced several small processes in her city that give room for the Black, Indigenous  & Brown community members to gather, learn, and support their recovery efforts in Harm Reduction, Inferiority, Heart Therapy, etc. because it works well in the black community along with other culturally attuned services.

Queen Legacy Foundation (QLF) supports its community members by bringing their concerns to many “spaces” with responsible leadership for supporting the black community and being ACCOUNTABLE for what they bring to our community.

Queen is here to break our cycle, which is demonstrated through Queen’s accomplishments and positions as Founder, CEO, and Manager of Queens Legacy Foundation (QLF), New Eyes Village Church, Owner and CEO of Empire (s.o.m), and Owner of A Sistas Salon LLC. In addition, Queen has formerly been the co-president of the Healthy Larimer Committee, a former board member of the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County (Exec. Team Mentee), LCO for UPK Program, NoCo Cares, a Former Founder of the BIPOC Alliance, and a Supporter of Black Leaders and Community Council (B.L.A.C.C). She is now a student at Front Range Community College, where her area of study is Paralegal/Legal Assistant. She plans to equip her community with knowledge to no longer be prey to a system designed to oppress and marginalize.

Queen has significant advocacy experience at both the state and national levels. These include being an alumnus advisory member on the Colorado Advisory Board, Advisory Member and Advocate for CDHS Family Voice Council, a board member for Advocates for Recovery Colorado, Advocate for Housing with Melville Housing Policy Table (ParentsWhoLead.Org), Lived Experience Expert/Consultant for the American Public Human Service Association (APHSA) and Appointment by the Governor of Colorado Jared Polis to support the 8th Judicial Board and Review for Northern Colorado as a Commissioner.