Meet Kelly Williams, community engagement coordinator at Project REBUILD

Timken Senior High graduate Kelly O. Williams Sr. returned to Canton after graduating college and a having successful career in entertainment. He is now the community engagement coordinator for Project REBUILD.

After graduating high school in 1994, Williams attended Columbus State Community College and Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, where he earned an associate degree in marketing education and a bachelor’s in entertainment law, respectively.

He has been recognized many times for his work with Ohio’s youth, his achievements in music and for his being able to “make it out of my tragic lifestyle of incarceration and gangs." His awards include proclamations from the Canton mayor, U.S. Congress, and state of Ohio; and honors from Coming Together Stark County and Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery.

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“My career path has been in the entertainment field for the past 25 years being a gospel hip-hop recording artist where I’ve garnered two Grammy Award nominations and three Stellar Award nominations as a producer and artist,” Williams said. “I’ve been with Project REBUILD for a small period of time as an employee but have maintained a solid relationship with the organization since returning back to Canton in 2016. I volunteered and attended the organization’s delicious Lunch and Learns over the years.”

Project REBUILD’s mission focuses on young adults, supporting them for lifelong success, and encouraging them to help improve their community.

Williams is a single dad and his children are daughters Starr Williams, Chazemene Williams, and Kelana-Destiny Robinson. He has one son, Kelly Williams Jr., and a tarantula appropriately named Spidey.

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What led you to become the community engagement coordinator of Project Rebuild?

Interesting answer to that question. I was actually prepared to move out west to Las Vegas, Nevada, to continue my music career. I had received an email from Project REBUILD a couple of weeks prior to my move date to attend a Lunch and Learn at the organization’s facility.

On the way to the event, I had a feeling come over me that I’d be offered a position with REBUILD and the opportunity would present itself at the Lunch and Learn. The meeting went great and as I was walking out the door, I asked where the employee was whom I received the invite from.

I was told he had taken a position with another company and they were accepting resumes, and I was asked would I like to apply. I thought to myself, 'I am not looking for a job and I’m ready to move out west.' But because of the feeling I had on the way to the meeting, I investigated the position a bit more and asked what the job entailed.

The job description fit me perfectly, so I said, 'OK God, if you want me to stay here in Canton for some other reason than what I’ve already achieved, then I’m open to the call.' I’m also the chair for The Stark County Re-Entry Coalition and I really didn’t want to give that opportunity up, because my partners and I (Rebecca Haymond and Emma Welsh) within the coalition had worked so hard to achieve what we have.

Two days before I was ready to move, I was offered the position, and I began the process the very next day. I love the sunshine, but I am grateful for this opportunity to be with Project REBUILD.

Would you describe your job duties, tasks and activities you do on a daily basis?

My job duties vary on a day-to-day basis. My job description calls for me to engage with the community through in-person and Zoom meetings with community partners, build partnerships with other organizations in an effort to help with community projects by way of events, attend meetings, work with the social media and conduct telephone conversations.

I also do public speaking about Project REBUILD, create marketing materials/campaigns, fundraise, and we’ve added Power Talks with the students of Stark High School. With the Power Talks, I go into the school and present inspirational messages to the students in an extended effort to help our recruitment specialist recruit new student members for our cohorts.

We do several activities with the student members of Project REBUILD including Wednesday evening after hours where we connect with the students on a more personal level to get to know them outside of the daily classroom schedules. Oh, I almost forgot to mention answering 30+ emails per day before 9 a.m. LOL.

What are the favorite parts of your job and why?

I don’t really have one favorite part of the job because every day offers something different which is something I like.

What have been some of your favorite projects that Project Rebuild is involved with or has completed?

My favorite project of REBUILD is working with the kids. I see the work they put in with each student, while some students can be challenging, they handle each with respect and dignity. But there are hard conversations the staff must have with the students and that’s sometimes uncomfortable for the student and staff members. The overall goal is the success of the student member.

Graduation is the greatest way to complete because you can see the hard work pay off and the smiles on the kids’ faces are golden. In addition, REBUILD has rehabbed many homes in the area under the lead construction supervisor. While I wasn’t there at the beginning of these rehabs, I’ve seen the end results and they are amazing.

In your downtime, what are your favorite activities or hobbies you enjoy?

In my downtime I like to create and record music in my personal studio because the love of music is what keeps me going, inspires me as I know it continues to inspire others from what I create.

Editor's note: Five questions with ... is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you'd like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to newsroom@cantonrep.com.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Five questions with Kelly Williams Sr. at Project REBUILD in Canton