Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

Joyce Mathias, Green Party candidate in City East, suffered online trolling during the recent Local Election campaign.

The abuse was mostly to do with her skin colour – she’s a Black woman originally from Nigeria – and her distinctive hair.

Children were drawn to her hair, she said. “Kids love me, they were telling their parents to vote for me,” Joyce said.

But it brought bile out in online trolls and from those on the far right, who labelled her Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and worse.

Mathias did not let the bullies win, though. And she beat them at their own game, with the help of her daughter.

Kelly (21) designed a t-shirt for her mother, which included Mathias’ face, and distinctive hair, alongside the Disney cartoon characters Mickey, Minnie and Daffy Duck.

She posted it to Twitter, two fingers to her detractors.

“I didn’t care about the bullying. It’s something I have learned not to affect me. They think they are upsetting me with Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse and my hair. It’s actually a trademark for me. When they say ‘Hi Minnie or Mickey Mouse’ I just smile back. You’ve got to give it back to the bullies,” she told us.

Though she did not take a seat, Mathias was pleased with 287 first preference votes in her first election.

Will she be back in 2029? “Five years is too far – I’ll take one day at a time,” she said.

Pictured: Joyce Mathias with her Mickey Mouse t-shirt. ‘You’ve got to give it back to the bullies.’