* CO-FOUNDER AND ORGANIZER: The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, (SCLC) Roanoke, Va. Chapter, Annual "JUNETEENTH" Celebration, 2007 - Present
* PRESIDENT: The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, (SCLC) Roanoke, Va. Chapter, 2007 - 2008
* CO-HOST: The SCLC Radio Show, 2007 - 2010
* COLUMNIST: The Roanoke Star-Sentinel, 2007 - 2009
* CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, (SCLC), Roanoke, Va. Chapter, 2002 - 2007, 2009 - 2010
MEMBER
* The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, 1995 - Present
* The Patrick Henry High School Site-Based Council, Roanoke, Va. 2002 - 2004
* The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge Committee, Roanoke, Va.
* Roanoke, Va. Drug Market Initiative, (DMI), Team, 2010- Present
EDUCATION
* B.S. Degree; Double Major, History & Social Science; Minor, Education; James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va. 1984
* FELLOWSHIP/ALUMNI: The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, The University of Virginia, 1995
* FELLOWSHIP: Hampton University Leadership Academy, Hampton University, 2012
COMMUNITY AWARDS
* THE FRIEND OF EDUCATION AWARD; The Roanoke, Va. Education Association, 1998
* THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DRUM MAJOR FOR JUSTICE AWARD; The Roanoke, Va. Southern Christian Leadership Conference, 1999
* THE REV. R.R. WILKINSON MEMORIAL AWARD FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE; The Roanoke, Va. Branch of the NAACP, 2004
* THE LEADERSHIP AND ACTIVISM AWARD; The Progressive Democrats of America, 2011
ARTISOLOGY 101
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JEFF ARTIS
* God, family, community, self.
* The only person keeping you from becoming successful is yourself.
* Public officials are not gods. Their job is to serve the public; not their egos, their friends or their bank accounts. It is the job of the American citizen to let public officials know when they aren't doing their jobs.
* Black wrong is just as bad as White wrong.
* In the 21'st Century, the only difference between Democrats and Republicans is their mascots.
* Real men don't hit women.
* Our children are our future. Our children need three things; love, structure and discipline.
* All Americans have a debt to pay. People have died so we can live free.
* Lead, follow or shut up and get out of the way.
* Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.
* Don't be a victim.
* Money is nice. Honesty and integrity are better.
* You don't have to see a skunk to recognize its smell.
* Don't look at issues as Black and White. Look at issues as right and wrong.
* M+P=APP (Money+Participation=Access To Political Power.)
* In the 21'st Century all forms of discrimination will be wearing a smiley face.
* The scariest thing in America is an educated minority who is not afraid to stand up for human and civil rights.
* We now have the means to solve many of our problems without the help of government.
* The only failure is not trying.
* Some of the world's smartest people only have a third grade education.
COMMUNITY ACTIVISM
* Leading the fight against gangs and gang violence in Roanoke, Va. since 1994 which helped lead to new anti-gang legislation being passed by the Virginia General Assemble in 2000 and 2004. This new legislation includes the RICO statute being used to fight the plague of gang activity and gang violence in the State of Virginia, first proposed in 1999.
* Leading the fight against school violence in Roanoke, Va. since 1994.
* Virginia House of Delegate Campaign in 1995 led to tougher Domestic Violence legislation on Virginia and the creation of a vocational/technical charter school in Roanoke, Va. at Roanoke's Higher Education Center.
* Roanoke City Council Campaign in 1996 led to an end to social promotions in the Roanoke City Public School System.
* Helped settle the Valley View Mall Boycott and The Hotel Roanoke Boycott in 1996.
* Helped fight to improve working conditions at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Salem, Va. which let to the removal of the hospital's top two administrators in 1996.
* As a member of the Roanoke SCLC, helped lead the fight for justice in the courtroom, assuring that defendants in court cases receive equal justice under the law. Picketed the United States Supreme Court in 1997. Met with members of the United States Congress to address this issue.
* Led the fight to reinstate the middle school football program in the Roanoke, Va. Public School System in 1997.
* Led the fight for tougher enforcement of city and state statutes against drug dealing and gang violence as Vice President/Chairman of the Roanoke SCLC in 1996 and later as President of The Lafayette Watchdogs, a crime watch group in 1999.
* Helped lead the fight for the creation of a Citizen's Review Board to investigate police misconduct by the Roanoke, Va. Police Dept.
* Helped lead the fight to have an appropriate landmark named after Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. in Roanoke, Va. The new Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge opened in Downtown Roanoke, Va. in 2008.
* Announced "THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE OF 2002." The Children's Crusade is an education/community activist campaign to educate the Roanoke, Va. community about gangs and gang violence, as well as, engaging in activist politics to force Roanoke City Government to address the problem of gang violence in Roanoke, Va.
* Helped improve the living conditions for residents at the McCray Court Senior Living Facility in Roanoke, Va. in 2003. This effort led to the resignation of James Lesniak, Executive Director of the Northwest Neighborhood Environmental Organization, the group in charge of the McCray Court Senior Living Facility.
* Leading the fight against economic racism which allowed the opening of a methadone clinic in Northwest Roanoke, Va. in 2003. This fight is detailed on the "PLAN SHUT IT DOWN" page in jeffartis.com.
* Author, "A PARENT'S GUIDE TO GANGS," a guide parents can use to help prevent their children from joining gangs in 2006.
* Co-Founder and Organizer of Roanoke, Va.'s annual "JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION," 2007 - Present.
* Former host of "THE ROANOKE SCLC RADIO SHOW."
* Human and civil rights activist for over 40 years.
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