Kweku Toure, Independent candidate for
At-Large Councilmember in the
November 5, 2002, General Election
Biography
October 2002

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KWEKU TOURE

Biography

Kweku Toure is a native Washingtonian, born and reared in the Northwest community of Columbia Heights. Kweku was educated in D. C. public schools, attending Raymond Elementary, Lincoln Junior High, and graduating from Spingarn Senior High School in 1984, where he simultaneously completed a vocational education program at Phelps Career Center.

A recipient of the Pilgrim Baptist Church Scholarship, he earned a Bachelors of Arts Degree in 1989 from Virginia State University, where he majored in Sociology and minored in Criminal Justice. As a college student, Kweku participated in various social and professional clubs. For two years he served as President of the Sociology and Criminal Justice Club, and was a member of the International Studies Club. He also pledged membership to the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Upon completion of his studies, Kweku returned home to Washington, D.C. well equipped and with a sense of responsibility to help uplift the communities of his hometown. His first professional positions as a Social Worker for the Human Development Corporation (19891990) and Drug Treatment Specialist for the Alcohol Drug Abuse Services Administration (1990-1991), ultimately laid the foundation for his commitment to public service. From 1992 to 1993 he began honing the skills necessary to bring people together for a common cause through his position at the National Rainbow Coalition's Washington Office, where he was of Acting Director and Constituent Administrator responsible for developing membership. He also had the opportunity to work as Road Manager for Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., gaining invaluable hands-on experience in voter education and registration, budget development and major event planning. In this position he traveled extensively, visiting all 50 States, as well as West and South Africa.

In 1994, Kweku was employed by the District of Columbia Housing Authority as a Resident Specialist. This experience afforded him the opportunity to use a hands-on approach to strengthen the resident base in the public housing, He encouraged residents to develop grant-funded drug elimination programs, developed policies and procedures for resident councils, and directed the Housing Authority's first citywide resident council election.

Following that experience, Kweku returned to the D. C. Housing Authority in 1997 where he became a Resident Technical Assistant, engaging himself once again in residential matters. One of his primary duties with the D.C. Housing Authority was to monitor drug elimination grants.

Kweku has complemented his employment record with an array of volunteer involvement. In 1994, he served the justice system as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. From 1994 to 2000, he was Co-Founder Founder and Acting Chairman of the Petworth Neighborhood Civic Association, located in Northwest, a Mentor amt Youth Care Worker with the Association for Renewal in Education, Inc., and a Family Advocate and Youth Counselor in the Hunter Pines community, located in Southeast. In 1995, he began volunteering his services as a Family acrd Youth Worker in the James Creek Public Housing Development in Southwest. In 1998, he began coordinating annual camping trips for the Hunter Pines youth to foster positive experiences.

Kweku Toure's colleagues have described him as -a trailblazer with great vision and foresight. He is a man of conviction who is toot afraid to speak for those who often go unheard? He is dedicated to his community and remains committed to a life of public service.