Melanie Campbell is an expert and passionate advocate on issues impacting African Americans, women, immigrants and youth and the intersection of how politics, public policy, race, gender, class and age impacts quality life for all Americans. Ms. Campbell has a strong knowledge base in Black voter participation, civil rights, voting rights, women’s rights, election reform, Katrina-Rita Gulf Coast recovery and rebuilding, Census Count, youth leadership development, non-profit management and cross-cultural coalition building.
Over the past twenty years, Ms. Campbell has served in several leadership capacities: 1) CEO of national civil rights non-profit (NCBCP) 2) political appointee in Mayor’s office (Director, Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Youth Services; and 2) entrepreneur-independent consultant business (Clients: Atlanta Business League, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Atlanta University Center). She has served as an economic & social justice advocate for more than 25 years--starting as a student organizer for the NAACP in 1980 at Clark Atlanta University and mentored by internationally recognized civil rights, political and business leaders such as Dr. Joseph & Mrs. Evelyn Lowery, Dr. Dorothy Height, Thomas W. Dortch, Jr., the late Maynard Jackson, Honorable Andrew Young, Rev. Jesse Jackson and the late Rev. James Orange.
Follow her on Twitter at @coalitionbuildr.
Professional Achievement Highlights:
* Convened NCBCP Unity ’08 Voter Empowerment Campaign assisting in achieving record Black voter turnout in the 2008 Presidential Election Cycle.* Convener of diverse women’s coalition, Women’s Coalition for Dignity and Diversity in the Media, to address sexism and lack of diversity in the media in response to the Imus debacle in April 2007.* Convened Rebuild Hope NOW Coalition in September 2005 in the immediate aftermath of the Katrina catastrophe to assist survivors with disaster relief and recovery in the Gulf Coast Region. * Served as one of four African American women lead trainers and facilitators in the February 1996 West African Women’s Colloquium: Women in Politics in Ghana, West Africa, sponsored by African American Leadership Institute and the U. S. Secretary of State’s AID. Led coalition building workshops for elected officials, NGO civic leaders and community activists from over 8 West African Countries.
Television and radio appearances include: CNN Paula Zahn, Washington Journal (C-Span), National Public Radio, Tom Joyner Morning Show, Bev Smith Show, XM Radio, Pacifica Radio, BET and many local radio shows across the country in such media markets as Seattle, WA, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York. Print includes: Washington Post, Black Enterprise, New York Times, Philadelphia Tribune, CNN.COM, BET.COM, BlackAmericaweb.com.Educational Background
Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., Spring 2007Public Policy Institute Executive ProgramCertificate in Non-Profit ManagementHarvard University, Cambridge, MA, Spring 2003John F. Kennedy School of GovernmentInstitute of Politics – Spring Resident FellowTaught Study Group on Youth Civic Engagement & Voter ParticipationClark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA, August 1983 Bachelor of Arts Degree, Business Administration w/Concentration in Finance
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Activists prepare to cheer — and fight, if necessary — for a Black female Supreme Court nominee
The Washington Post [January 27, 2022] -
Coalition of Black Groups Use #CountMeBlack To Urge 2020 Census Participation
BET [April 1, 2020] -
'In the driver's seat': Black women seize power of 2020 vote
The Washington Post [April 1, 2020] -
AFRICAN AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS JOIN FORCES FOR 2020 CENSUS CAMPAIGN
Black Enterprise [March 29, 2020] -
National Coalition on Black Civic Participation joins forces with other national and state-based partner organizations to launch Black Census Week
Milwaukee Community Journal [March 27, 2020] -
Census 2020: ‘Count Me Black!’
AFRO [March 26, 2020] -
Election Reform: Protecting Our Vote from the Enemy Who Never Sleeps!
National Urban League [2008] -
Leveraging the Black Vote to Build Political and Economic Access, Opportunity and Power
FOCUS Magazine;Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Volume 36, Issue 4 [September/October 2008¶] -
A NATION EXPOSED: Rebuilding African American Communities, Contributing Writer
Harvard Journal of African Americans in Public Policy, Volume XII [Summer 2006] -
The New Southern Political Landscape, the Black Vote and Election Reform: Which Will Be Key to Victory in 2004? (contributing writer)
Politics & Progress: A Presidential Platform for 2004 -
Young Black America's Response to September 11th: Black Youth Ideology Continues to be Defined
Anthology- The Paradox of Loyalty [Fall 2003] -
Voices- A Bold New Direction in Civic Participation
American Bar Association Insights on Law & Society [Fall 2001]