PROJECTS
Special Projects (2011-Present)
The Organizing Leadership Academy (TOLA) Fellowship
- Organized and increased the Dimond Business and Professional Association (DB&PA) membership (i.e. from 6 to 42 members in a 2 month period) in preparation for transitioning the District into a Community Benefits District (CBD).
- Conducted presentations for property owners, City Officials, and the Mayor of Oakland regarding the renewal of the $3.2M Fruitvale Property Business Improvement District (FPBID), which successfully passed 50.8% v. 49.1% on July 27, 2011.
- Received four-month intensive hands on instruction regarding organizing and leadership from some of the sharpest minds in local, state and national politics.
Managerial Assignments
- Responsible for strategically identifying and conducting presentations for organizations (i.e. labor unions, faith based, environmental, non – profits, residential groups) interested in the shared vision of implementing and standardizing equitable and sustainable development on publicly funded projects throughout the City of Detroit and the at large metropolitan region.
- Entrusted to provide educational engagement of Detroit Bus riders and provided technical assistance to the Northend Woodward Community Coalition (NEWCC) in its filing of a FTA Title VI Civil Rights complaint against the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT).
- Conducted a Public Education campaign to support the coalitions Food Justice Task Force “Good Food, Good Jobs Report” and legislation; subsequently rejected by the City of Detroit’s Law Department for being “anti-business”.
- Responsible for coordinating a voter registration drive resulting in 23,000 new voters being registered in Los Angeles County for the African American Voter Registration Education and Participation project (AAVREP)
- Responsible for organizing and effectively communicating the importance of Community Benefit Agreements (CBA) to communities along and adjacent to the Woodward Corridor, as related to the proposed Woodward Light Rail Project (WLRP).
Voter Registration Project
Conducted Voter Registration Drive in Los Angeles City Council Districts 8, 9, 10 & 15 resulting in 10,000 new voters in 5 weeks.
Ground-Breaking Projects
- Subcontracted by SB Strategies to coordinate recall petition of City Clerk Jim Dear (Carson); collected 12,300 signatures to qualify and effectively recalled during special election Feb. 23rd
- Subcontracted by SB Strategies to assist with outreach for Hollywood Park & SoFi Stadium project (Inglewood).
- Worked with PCI Consultants on petition to stop One Paseo redevelopment project (San Diego).
- Subcontracted by “Tell That Story” to coordinate recall petition of Centinela Valley School Board President (Hawthorne).
- Coordinated team of 20 canvassers as part of annual Homeless Count in the City of Los Angeles.
Campaign Work
- Subcontracted by Phil Giarrizzo Consulting for Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II letter writing program in California.
- Subcontracted by SB Strategies, LLC for special event outreach at the Los Angeles MLK Day parade on behalf of Measure H.
Campaign Work
- Coordinated team of petitioners for Reform Los Angeles Jail’s referendum
- Served as coordinator for Missourians for Patient Care Act referendum in Kansas City, MO
Business Engagement
- Coordinated 1st Mayoral Business Meet & Greet for Mayor Michael E. Duggan (i.e. 41 Gratiot Avenue Business Owners —representing 20 businesses—on 4.9 miles of Gratiot Avenue) in the City of Detroit.
- Organizing template was utilized by the City of Detroit Department of Neighborhoods (DON) for all future business engagement activities by Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) District Business Liaisons (DBL’s).
Campaign Coach with Campaign Greenhouse
Candidates: Funmi Ladigbolu (Trustee, Lawrenceville NJ School Board) and Sheronda Bell (Georgia State House 129th)
Special Projects
- Hired as the Director of Outreach & Government Relations for InfoVote: Voter Awareness application to facilitate strategic partnerships with candidates for public office, 501c3’s, c4’s, elected officials and education institutions.
Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan (EJAM)
- Supported EJAM’s efforts with the Employment Equity Learning Advisory Committee (EELAC) by establishing relationships with 4 high schools and 6 non profit organizations to promote & advance understanding of employment equity and quality jobs in the region.
- Recruited 19 new restaurant/food service entrepreneurs to be members of the Restaurant Opportunities Center of Michigan (ROC-MI) RAISE (Restaurants Advancing Industry Standards of Employment) roundtable.
- Rengaged/activated 115 restaurant partners and 58 potential RAISE partners over 55 days to ensure continuity with the RAISE programs “high road business model.”
- Conducted outreach for 3 RAISE Forums (Tues, 10/26, Mon, 11/12, & Mon 12/13) and coordinated presentations by 8 presenters who educated owners about how to access capital; the employee retention tax credit; POS systems; insurance policies for employees; small business resources offered by the City of Detroit & the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) and subscription accounting services.
Winter Wonderland in the NorthEnd “A Main Street Event”:
- Provided logistical support for Vanguard CDC in conducting targeted digital marketing via social media and email to increase turn out for this inaugural event.
- Co-coordinated and participated in canvassing of 657 homes & 18 businesses in Detroit’s NorthEnd; resulted in 77 attendees.
First Friday’s on King Street:
- Coordinated 4 open air market/resource fairs at St. Matthew & St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church (Friday, July 9th; Friday, August 6th; Friday, September 3rd; Friday, October 1st) from 4-8pm.
- A total 54 for profit & non profit vendors served 184 attendees.
Special Events/Presentations
“New Mount Hermon Baptist Church Energy Resilience Project”
- Developer on 27.2 kWh commercial solar project in Michigan's most polluted zip code (48217) w/ 2 14.3 kWh battery backups and a 25 kWh gas generator.
- 2022: Secured 100k grant from Sacred Spaces to actualize energy efficiency upgrades New Mt. Hermon Baptist Church.
- 2023: Secured 75k grant from MIPL via "Michigan Community Center and Neighborhood
Initiative Grant for solar energy. - 2024: Selected to participate in the Detroit 2030 Districts EV Pilot program and received a Level 2 dual port EV Charger.
- 2024: Selected by Ecoworks to receive part of a $20 million U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Community Change Grant (CCG) program to make 15 houses of worship across the city of Detroit into community resiliency hubs, offering shelter and resources to residents during weather emergencies and utility outages. Additionally, the project will deploy 30 electric vehicles to provide the community with a low-cost rideshare program.In doing so NMHMBC becomes the 2nd African American church in the City of Detroit to not only go solar, but to transition into a resilience hub as well.
“North End/Milwaukee Junction Main Street Business District Small Business Saturday Event”
- Coordinated physical & digital marketing of event with Vanguard CDC.
- 15 vendors participated, 100+ attendees & engaged 52 local business.
“Conversations with the Candidates: Detroit Public Schools Community District Candidate Forum”
- Organized a youth led candidate forum with the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Gamma Lambda chapter, St. Matthew’s & St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church (SMSJ), Youth Voice Action Collective, Umoja Debate Team, and Office of President Pro Tem James Tate featuring 11/18 candidates running for 4 open positions on the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) at SMSJ on Wednesday, October 19th, 2022.
“Fundraiser for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer”
- Co-hosted event for Gov. Whitmer on June 28th, 2022 and raised $42,180.
“Michigan Women Forward (MWF) Credit Restoration Program: A credit training program for micro-entrepreneurs
- Served as credit repair specialist for program participants looking to build a good credit score and embrace sound credit management in their emerging businesses.
“Black History of Detroit’s Historic NorthEnd Neighborhood”
- Coordinated & co-hosted presentation and Black History Month community conversation by City of Detroit Historian, Jamon Jordan. This event was sponsored by Vanguard Community Development Corporation (Detroit) & the Historic St. Matthew’s & St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church.
Michigan Action Super PAC (Oct 2022 - Nov 2022)
- Served as Deputy Field Director coordinating a team of 60 canvassers who canvassed the City of Detroit on behalf of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sec. State Jocelyn Benson, Atty. General Dana Nessel, MI Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein and candidate Kyra Bolden, SMART Transit Mileage, Prop 2 "Promote the Vote" & Prop 3 "Reproductive Freedom for All".
- Provided supplemental canvasser training, cut turf, drafted talking points & scripts, dispatched & debriefed team, and QC of field team & data.