From Pandemic Project to TikTok Sensation: Joanna Johnson

Joanna Johnson never imagined that a social media project during the pandemic would turn her into a prominent figure on Tik Tok.

The Toronto educator, who goes by unlearn16 online, has attracted over 4.4 million followers on Tik Tok and other social media platforms.

Johnson uses Tik Tok to discuss tough social and political topics with a mix of humor, sarcasm, and directness.

Even with her online fame, Johnson insists she won’t be leaving her teaching job anytime soon.

“This is it. If I stop doing this, where would I get my material?” she joked in an interview with CBC Radio’s Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge before her events in the city this weekend.

“Donald Trump will have to be gone soon and then I’m going to have to rely on the Grade 9, so I can’t give that up.”

Johnson uses Tik Tok to tackle difficult social and political issues with a blend of humour, sarcasm and straight talk. (Joanna Johnson)

This Saturday, Johnson will speak at an event at Caesars Windsor hosted by Unifor Local 444’s LGBTQ committee.

Stephanie Dunphy, chairperson of Unifor Local 444’s LGBTQ committee, mentioned that the union organizes a Pride dinner every year; this year they’re raising money for the Windsor-Essex Pride QConnect program.

Dunphy, who has been following Johnson since post-COVID times, said that Johnson was the perfect choice for guest speaker.

“I find that she is super intelligent, she is a wealth of knowledge and she has helped to educate me in many ways and she’s part of the community,” Dunphy told CBC Windsor.

Stephanie Dunphy, the LGBTQ chairperson for Unifor Local 444, said the union hosts a Pride dinner each year, and this year they’re raising funds for the Windsor-Essex Pride QConnect program. (Submitted by Stephanie Dunphy)

“So, I thought it would be a great idea to have her come into Windsor and speak on any number of subjects really. It’s Pride month; the trans community is under attack; we live in a border city so we feel what is happening in the United States … we’re the automotive capital of Ontario which is heavily affected by the administration across the river.”

“So there are so many different topics that she can talk about and she can touch so many different groups of people,” added Dunphy.

People were looking for something deeper

Like many during COVID-19 lockdowns, Johnson started using Tik Tok as an escape by sharing fun videos and lip-syncing clips.

But soon enough she realized audiences wanted more than just light content.

A video about Ontario politics opened her eyes to how powerful Tik Tok could be for meaningful discussions.

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With 24 years of teaching experience under her belt, Johnson attributes much of her engaging style to her background as an educator. She believes keeping students interested requires performance skills-something she’s applied in creating online content too.

“If my kids aren’t entertained, they’re not engaged,” she said. “They’re not paying attention and they’re not having fun.”

LISTEN | Popular Tik Tok teacher Joanna Johnson visits Windsor for speaking engagement:

Windsor Morning12:56Popular Tik Tok teacher Joanna “@Unlearn16” Johnson coming to Windsor for speaking engagement

The handle “Unlearn 16” belongs to Joanna Johnson. Although she’s based in Toronto as a teacher, she’s heading over to Windsor tomorrow for a public appearance. She talked with Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge about her rise in popularity along with how she connects with her audience online.

Johnson often discusses themes like equality, inclusion, politics and social justice while directly responding to critics-and values respectful debate.

She shared that it’s exciting when people disagree with her perspective because she’d usually tell them: “Just stick around and listen for five minutes. We can have a respectful conversation.”

“All of a sudden they’ll say ‘Oh you’re not who I thought you were,’ or ‘You’re addressing it in this way,’ or ‘At least we could have a respectful conversation.’ So that’s kind of what I live for I think.”

This Saturday around 3:30 p. m., she’ll also hold a book signing at Caesars followed by another signing session at Indigo Books and Music around noon on Sunday.

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