Q&A with Linda J. Baraka
Tell us about your background / work experience and how you got to where you are.
My name is Linda J. Baraka and I am currently the Chief of Staff to Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker and also First Lady of the wonderful city of Newark, New Jersey. Newark is the most populous city in New Jersey and is located in Essex County. As one of the nation’s major air, shipping and rail hubs, the city had a population of 311,549 in 2020, making it the nation’s 62nd-most populous municipality. I started my career as a family service worker and have always had a passion for helping cities and communities in need ever since. I formerly owned a luxury women’s boutique in downtown Newark that featured ready-to-wear and up-and-coming designers. I am excited to be launching a new retail project very soon that will highlight Black-owned local designers.
I am a native “Newark-er” by way of Ghana. My parents settled in Newark from West Africa almost 45 years ago. My heart belongs to both Newark and Ghana.
What makes you excited about what is happening in Newark, NJ? What are some past projects you've worked on in Newark, NJ?
Newark is a great city with amazing people. There is truly no other place like it. It’s a major city with a small-town feel. Newark is very community centered - you won’t be successful at anything in this city if you don’t put the community first. The vibrant arts and culture scene features venues such as NJPAC, where I serve as a trustee, The Newark Musuem of Art, Newark Symphony Hall and The Prudential Center. You can see the work of local artists on buildings all throughout the city. Newark boasts the best restaurants in the state and has a huge corporate presence, including global players like Audible, Panasonic and Mars. We, as a city, are putting a lot of effort into creating a family-friendly, fun atmosphere for our residents.
Most recently, I worked with Newark Social to turn downtown Newark’s Mulberry Commons and the nearby Ironside Building into a winter wonderland for the Newark Winter Village event. Over 10,000 community members visited Newark Social’s Winter Village event in late 2021 and early 2022. I was excited to help promote the city’s small businesses – there are so many crafters and savvy professionals that call Newark home. This was a great opportunity to engage residents and showcase the best of what downtown Newark has to offer.
Some of the smaller projects I’ve supported include collecting new books and personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic for children at the Newark YMCA, and collecting toiletries for women and children in transition and local area shelters.
Another event near and dear to me that I have worked on is AfroBeat Festival, which is the largest celebration of Africans in the diaspora and their culture in NJ. It’s a rebirth of Africa Newark festival that my father started when I was a child.
It was a really wonderful thing to be able to bring the community together to have fun together and to support our local businesses.
How did PR help you highlight the social good happening in Newark, NJ?
We’ve had a lot going on in Newark. For example, the Newark Social’s Winter Village ran from December 1 to January 30. During that time, in partnership with Violet PR, we secured over 20 news stories, driving 7,000 visitors to the rink in just the first month. Working with the team definitively helped expand the reach of the project. It amplified the amazing experiences that I wanted to bring to Newark.
Read more from MSN, here.
What advice do you have for other community leaders?
The most important part of being a community leader is to make sure that you are really engaging and building relationships with members of the community. If there is something you want to see happening in your community, I encourage you to be the person to make it happen.
What’s something people may not know about you?
My favorite role is being a mom to Jua and supporting my husband, Mayor Baraka.