Martel Miller
Pronouns: he/him/his
A community ambassador at the forefront of local campaigns for civil rights and economic progress, Martel Enoch Miller is available 24/7 for those in need. He has and continues to address issues of racial profiling, ineffective representation for the poor at the courthouse, environmental hazards in black neighborhoods, gun violence, underemployment for African Americans, and political representation for the poor within our community. In 2011, his 18-year-old son was a victim of an excessive police force. Through Mr. Miller’s efforts, the Champaign Police Department’s Use of Force policy changed, becoming one of the most stringent in the nation. He also paved the way for public participation in Champaign City Council’s study sessions and assisted with a regime change with a new Chief of Police for Champaign County.
As Township’s Community Work Program Case Manager, Mr. Miller helps our unemployed and underemployed participants find work, focusing specifically on developing skills to be successful in the workplace. He is often asked to assist with de-escalation, mediation, advocacy, and tasks that, while the key to the health and well-being of our participants, fall far outside of the purview of our programs. Mr. Miller is the Community Coalition Liaison for the Township. Given his wealth of community knowledge, Mr. Miller is considered our office’s personal “google” search engine.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Citizens Watch documentary, contributor
- Champaign-Urbana Citizens for Peace and Justice, member
- Champaign Men’s Breakfast Club, co-founder
- MAGNET Program, co-founder
- VEYA (Visionary Education of Youth and Adults), co-founder
- WEFT, community reporter
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Township Assistance Administration
- Trauma and Resiliency Initiative’s Trauma 101 training
- RACES (Rape Advocacy, Counseling, & Education Services) 40-hour training
- Management Center Trained
- Trauma-informed care training: General, for the Homeless, for Women
- Toxic Waste Cleanup
- Activism
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
- 2013 Layperson of the Year Award, Ministerial Alliance of Champaign-Urbana and Vicinity
- 2011 Father of the Year Award, Not On My Watch
- 2010 Outstanding Leadership Award, University of Illinois
- 2008 Layperson of the Year Award, Ministerial Alliance of Champaign-Urbana and Vicinity