Bradley Watkins

In 2008, led MSPJC Voter registration/education campaign about the 10 city and county charter amendments on the local ballot. Registered 5000 new voters in the Foote Homes, Orange Mound, Highland Heights and Nutbush neighborhoods. Recruited and supervised canvassers, drafted op-ed's in local media. led weekly phone banking for GOTV operations and covered more polls during early voting with plain lay language explanations of the items on the ballot than any other campaign in Shelby County in 2008.

All ten items passed.

In 2008 Led project for the creation, development, fundraising and printing of the first directory of homeless services in Memphis. The HOPE survival guide is Memphis's only freely distributed, comprehensive directory of homeless services in Memphis and includes, maps, meal schedules and information on services organized by need. 5000 copies distributed per year since 2008.

In 2009, developed, outreach and survey strategy for assessing needs of unsheltered individuals,comparing their reactions of existing service providers and access to essential services to address homelessness for long term grassroots capacity building campaign-H.O.P.E.

2009-Led on the street outreach and recruitment of individuals who were formerly or currently experiencing homelessness to attend weekly meetings of the "Living Room discussion group". These conversations took place at Manna House, a "House of hospitality" in the tradition of the Catholic Worker movement, created a space where unsheltered individuals could meet and openly discuss their challenges and obstacles in securing housing and daily survival.

2009-Led MSPJC Grassroots efforts to successfully advocate that the Memphis Sexual Assault and Resource Center "MSARC" move from being under City Government to becoming a branch and function of County Government. Led all canvass and phonebanking operations, drafted press releases and media relations and scheduled meeting with members of the City Council and County Commission.

2009-Represented MSPJC as a member of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, with Criminal Justice shareholders supported policy changes to reduce local jail population.

2009-Led the MSPJC grassroots campaign in support of Sheriff Luttrell's Jail Master Plan. JustPeace Memphis. Successfully lobbied the Shelby County Commission in a funding increase of 2.3 million dollars in funding alternatives to incarceration such as the Shelby County Drug Court, The Jericho Initiative and the Pre-Trial Intensive Supervision Unit.

2010-Led opposition grassroots campaign to the Memphis City Council proposed ordinances in the creation of an Anti panhandling zone in the Downtown are and the creation of a Single Beer sales ban within the Downtown area.

2010-Represented MSPJC as a member of the Policy and Planning committee for Mayors' Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness. Complied research on best practices, performed outreach to faith, civic and community stakeholders to secure community support and buy into moving Memphis homelessness efforts towards a Housing First narrative.

2011-Successfully led MSPJC Grassroots lobbying efforts to secure funding for the creation of the Community Alliance for The Homeless. A new nonprofit entity launched by City and County government on the issues related to addressing homelessness.

2011- Was a founding member of the Occupy Memphis-Transportation Task Force for the creation of a Memphis Bus Riders Union.

2011-Assisted in MSPJC's fiscal sponsorship and consulted on the creation of THE BRIDGE-Memphis first street paper, providing earning opportunities for people experiencing homelessness.

2011-Led MSPJC efforts in the creation of the Memphis Bus Riders Union, a grassroots organization made up and led by the transit dependent to self advocate on issues of public transit.

2011-Led MSPJC efforts in the creation of Homeless Organizing for Power and Equality-HOPE, a grassroots organization made up exclusively of men and women formerly or currently experiencing homelessness.

2012-Successfully led MSPJC/HOPE organizing efforts to secure $540,000 in local homelessness funding, which when leveraged with federal funds provided permanent supportive housing for 100 unsheltered individuals who per the finding of a vulnerability index would die without intervention within 2 years. Funding also established the Shelby County Veterans Court and capital funding for the renovation of units for 69 families with children when one or both parents had a disability.

This was the first time Shelby County had contributed local funding to direct homelessness services.

Led all canvass,phonebanking and media efforts. Recruited volunteers and helped build internal leadership.

2012-Organized 9 town halls, one in each City Council district around transit needs.

2012-Interviewed, hired, supervised and trained new organizing staff for MBRU and HOPE program areas.

2012-Represented MSPJC as a member of the DRUG COURT TASK FORCE.

2013-Represented MSPJC on the Victims of Crime Advisory League-VOCAL. Appointed by Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell.

2013-Led MSPJC research and advocacy anti-blight efforts by documenting area properties that were secretly bank owned but locally left under the names of previous owners. Secured $70,000 in unpaid taxes and fees for the City of Memphis.

2013-Created the BlightWatch webseries highlighting blighted bank owned properties in low income areas across Memphis, led to the board up and demolition of 26 blighted properties.

2013-Successfully, Led the MSPJC investigation and efforts to restore the Memphis Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board. Included, advocating to elected officials, leading legal research. Conducting canvass, phonebanking and outreach operations.

2014-Successfully passed City Council resolution tasking MSPJC to host 9 town halls, as well as drafting ordinance language for improvements and additional powers to the new Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board.

2014-Secured grant funding to launch the Streetwise Ink project-A worker owned cooperative for silk screen T-shirt printing by people formerly unsheltered.

2014-created campaign plan for Memphis Bus Riders Union city budget campaign. Successfully lobbied the Memphis City Council where 3.5 million in cut MATA funding was restored, preventing cuts of five bus routes, night and weekend frequency and all holiday service.

2014.-Led the project for the creation of the Memphis United -Know Your Rights Guide-An annual publication detailing all of a person's rights in encountering law enforcement. Distributed in English and in Spanish.

Over 20, 000 copies have been distributed in Shelby County.

Established clear and effective policies for standardization across different areas of operations.

Oversaw, hired, trained and supervised all MSPJC organizing and operations staff.

Oversaw all MSPJC, grassroots organizing campaigns and community trainings.

Performed payroll and annual budgeting functions.

Organized fundraising events with guest speakers such as Osagyefo Sekou, Rosa Clemete and Angela Davis.

Ensured donor relations with grassroots sustaining funders.

Tripled monthly grassroots donation revenue.

Performed grant searches, complied grant reports and maintained relations with foundation partners.

Hosted 3 annual conference in partnership with the Shelby County Juvenile Court Office of Community Service to recruit 32 new community organizations to serve as neighborhood based community service sites for young people within those same neighborhoods.

Partnered with America Works to open up MSPJC as a community service location for individuals with mandated service hours in order to maintain Families First benefits.

Organized Tenants at the Warren and Tulane apartments into HUD recognized tenant associations. Trained tenants on the complaint process and hosted events to enlist shareholders. Advocated to City, County and Federal officials to ensure that both properties had their Haap contracts terminated and all tenants received tenant protection vouchers.