Birmingham's Mayor Woodfin makes two more key hires
Mayor Randall Woodfin announced two more important hires for his administration this week -- a director of community engagement and an LGBTQ liaison. Both are newly created positions.
The city announced on Thursday, June 14, that Woodfin had chosen attorney Brandon F. Johnson to serve as director of community engagement, working as the mayor’s liaison on initiatives regarding public safety, violence reduction and police/community engagement.
On Sunday, June 10, Woodfin announced that he had chosen Josh Coleman -- a minister, life coach and advocate for gay issues-- to serve as the city’s LGBTQ liaison.
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Johnson already “has years of experience in the social justice, public policy and urban planning sectors,” Woodfin said in a news release. “His boots have already been on the ground, and we're ready for him to be an advocate for Birmingham's neighborhoods."
“I’m honored and humbled to serve and support residents’ rights and equality,” Johnson said in the release.
Johnson is a native of Chicago, but his family has lived in the Birmingham area since the late 1930s. He earned a B.A. in political science from Morehouse College and a law degree from DePaul University.
Johnson previously practiced law and served as director of policy for the Westside Justice Center in Chicago.
Among other tasks, Johnson will develop a comprehensive community strategy to control and prevent violent crime, drug trafficking and drug-related crime, according to the release.
LGBT LIAISON
Coleman, who start work June 25, will serve as a spokesperson for the city and a representative of LGBTQ interests, according to a city news release.
In his new role, Coleman will focus on public safety for LGBTQ people and build upon the relationship between the LGBTQ community and the city “through provision of fair and professional policies and services,” the release states.
"Birmingham is the city that taught the world the importance of inclusion,” Woodfin said. “Josh will help us continue to uphold that legacy of equality by ensuring that all of our citizens have a voice in this administration."
“This is the next step in Mayor Woodfin’s commitment to having an of having an open, fair and inclusive city,’’ Coleman said.
Known for his commitment to social issues, specifically LGBTQ equality, Coleman is vice president of Central Alabama Pride and a volunteer with the Human Rights Campaign.