Kenneth Williams

2021-2022 | City of Houston - Mayor's Office of Complete Communities

KEN WILLIAMS is experienced in economic development, legislative research, and civic engagement. Building strong, authentic partnerships and relationships has been a cornerstone of Ken’s career, and his approach to providing technical assistance incorporates respect, trust, and a shared vision for success. He has developed strategic partnership plans within the progressive movement, facilitated learning dialogues that foster an inclusive culture, advised on the Georgia Tech School of Architecture’s community engagement initiatives, and strengthened non profit capacity with the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce.  Ken advocates for greater equity with an analytical eye, a strategic mind, and a collaborative spirit. His lifelong commitment to ensuring equity and fighting for social justice has spanned the last decade, inspiring him to work with mission-driven organizations seeking to maximize their impact by investing in the wellbeing of their greatest resource: people. Ken is a first- generation college graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, earning a B.A in government and African American studies. 

Project

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused Houston’s unemployment rate to spike to one of the highest of any metropolitan area in the nation, with Black and Latinx residents from traditionally underinvested neighborhoods hardest hit by this downturn. FUSE will launch new initiatives to measurably increase every city resident’s access to higher-paying jobs with the best prospects for building wealth and financial resilience. This will focus on the future of work, training and directing participants toward high-demand jobs in emerging growth industries.