Meet the president

Keon Williams is a native of Miami, Florida Historic Overtown neighborhood. Mr. Williams has over 20 years of relevant experience in Community Development, Non-profit Management, Business Development, Business Financing and Issues-based Advocacy. Mr. Williams currently serves as the CEO and President of Urban Gateways, a for-profit business enterprise that includes developing single-family homes, real-estate investing and developing vacant land into economic development opportunities. Some of Mr. Williams most impactful initiatives includes navigating the organizations through the successful startups of a Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), to provide financial and technical assistance to small businesses and emerging nonprofits in South Florida’s urban communities; Business Boot Camps, providing residents with startup capital and technical assistance to assist with creating a new business; and as the Owner, Co-Founded The Urban, a 58,000 square foot, open air venue, located in Historic Overtown that features weekly events, weddings, local food trucks and pop-up vendors in additional to custom designed shipping containers for a centralized bar, retailers and art installations.

Mr. Williams is the past Chairman of the Overtown Community Oversight Board, whose purpose is to encourage and support housing, job creation, economic and business development, educational opportunities, historic and cultural preservation, and to provide written recommendations to the City Commission regarding those activities. Mr. Williams credits the motto “Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve,” as the bedrock of his dedication and commitment to advocating for disenfranchised communities.

Mr. Williams continues to be an avid giver in the local historic, Overtown community, by supporting many of the local nonprofits through charity events, housing subsidies for elderly residence and scholarships for kids that are involved in entrepreneurship programs and college bound.

Mr. Williams currently serves on the following community boards: Community Reinvestment Alliance of South Florida, Overtown Children & Youth Coalition, and The Equitable and Advocacy Collective, The Black Collective, City of Miami Code Enforcement/Nuisance Abatement Board.