Marquis Hawkins

Marquis dove into the education policy arena headfirst when he interned for Dallas Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson through the Congressional Black Caucus Internship program. After college, he worked in a host of Dallas area political offices including for the Mayor as a speechwriter intern and served as the District Director to a Texas State Representative. Professionally, Marquis started his career in the classroom as a Corps Member in Teach For America Houston and since has held positions at Education Pioneers, Dallas ISD, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Harwood International, and American Airlines. Currently, he serves as a State & Local Government Affairs Advisor for Southwest Airlines where he manages a portfolio of 14 states. Marquis earned a Bachelors in Political Science from Morehouse College, a Master in Public Administration from Cornell University, and has completed post-baccalaureate work at the University of Chicago.

Marquis has a lengthy record of fighting for the progressive agenda across Southern Dallas and beyond. Raised in the Dallas area, Marquis knew early on he wanted to dedicate his life to closing the opportunity gap for children, particularly in communities like his own in Oak Cliff. He has worked tirelessly to ensure the doors of opportunity swing open for scores of kids whose fate in life is determined by zip code.