This page highlights my communications, outreach, and community engagement work in support of LGBTQ+ equality and public education across Florida, with a focus on Broward County.
Derrick Alan Higgins
Pronouns: he/him
LGBTQ+ community focused • Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors • Florida
I am a South Florida-based community outreach and communications professional focused on LGBTQ+ community support, public education, and mission-driven service. My work includes public-facing messaging, community engagement, event support, and clear writing that helps people access information and feel welcomed.
Phone:
305-733-7440
Email:
Communications and Community Engagement Snapshot
​• Public-facing messaging for web, email, and social updates
• Community engagement through relationship building and follow-up
• Event logistics support, run of show, and day-of coordination
• Volunteer coordination, training support, and follow-up
• Clear, welcoming communication with community members and partners
• Strong documentation, progress tracking, and follow-through
A Bit About Me
I am a Fort Lauderdale-based community outreach and communications professional focused on LGBTQ+ community support, public education, and mission-driven service. My work centers on helping organizations turn their values into meaningful, real-world impact through relationship-based outreach, event and volunteer coordination, and clear, calm communication that helps people feel welcomed, informed, and respected.
Before launching Beach Dawg Care, I worked in electronic media, including TV and radio, as well as live event promotions. I also owned Perpetual Vibe, LLC in Miami Beach, where I produced and promoted live music events, including early Winter Music Conference programming. That experience strengthened my ability to work under deadline, stay organized, and keep communication consistent across multiple moving parts and audiences.
Today, I bring that same reliability and follow-through to community programs, supportive services, outreach, and operations-focused roles. I support equality work through grassroots outreach, coalition support, and public education that helps people access resources with dignity.
I bring strong public-facing communication, event coordination, and relationship-building skills that help mission-driven teams stay organized, audience-focused, and effective. I value confidentiality, accuracy, respectful collaboration, and clear communication in person, by phone, and in writing.
I have reliable transportation and flexible availability, including evenings and weekends. I take pride in helping teams keep logistics tight, communication consistent, and people feeling genuinely welcomed.
LGBTQ+ Community Involvement
I am proud to be part of South Florida’s LGBTQ+ community and I intentionally align my work, values, and professional network around inclusion, dignity, and equal access to support.
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Affiliations and community connection include:
• Certified LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE) through NGLCC
• Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce (GFLGLCC) community network
• Wilton Manors Business Association (WMBA) community network
• Ongoing connection to LGBTQ+ community resources and events in Broward County
• Human Rights Campaign (HRC) supporter and aligned with national LGBTQ+ equality, safety, and public education efforts​
Organizing Outcomes
Highlights of impact and follow-through
• Managed high-volume scheduling and outreach weekly with consistent follow-up and accurate documentation
• Built repeat relationships with community members and partners through reliable communication and on-time execution
• Produced and supported community events from planning through day-of logistics and post event follow-up
• Trained and coordinated interns and support teams for large-scale events with clear roles, timelines, and on-site execution
• Maintained trackers for contacts, follow-ups, and logistics, and provided clear weekly status updates to keep goals on track
• Supported public education messaging and community-facing communications through broadcast, outreach, and event promotion
Community Engagement Examples
• Planned, promoted, and coordinated community events and outreach across Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors
• Built partner support through direct outreach and follow-up, including securing donated items for a fundraising auction benefiting communities in need
• Conducted high-volume outreach and cold calls in real estate to earn trust and convert new buyer and seller relationships
• Supported public education and community information campaigns in broadcast media through clear messaging and audience-focused promotion.
• Trained and coordinated interns and street teams for large-scale public events, managing schedules, task assignments, and on-site support
• Coordinated with venues and produced event logistics for an international artist lineup through Perpetual Vibe, including booking, promotion, and stakeholder coordination
• Participated in public awareness actions focused on animal welfare, including peaceful protest and community education around the Miami Seaquarium and Lolita
Event and Fundraising Support Overview
• Event planning support for mission-driven gatherings, including gala style events and community programs
• Volunteer coordination, seating and guest list support, vendor outreach, and run of show timelines
• On-site support including set-up, tear-down, donation collection, and calm problem solving during live events
• Donor and sponsor follow-up support with simple tracking and timely thank-you communication
• Comfortable learning and using tools such as Canva, Google Drive, and GiveSmart for event and fundraising workflows
Credentials and Background
• B.S. Communications (Electronic Media TV and Radio Broadcasting), minors in Psychology and Sociology
• Broadcast, audio, and production background
• Registered Yoga Teacher and meditation teacher
• Certified LGBT Business Enterprise (NGLCC) and active in local business community
Tools
​• Wix: site builds and ongoing updates, page layouts, navigation, forms, basic SEO, and content publishing
• Google Workspace and Microsoft Office: Docs, Sheets, Excel, calendars, and document control
• Social and web content: clear updates, flyers and posts, community information sharing
• Outreach operations: contact lists, partner tracking, follow-up sequences, status reporting
• Event operations: run of show timelines, staffing grids, vendor coordination, issue logs
​• Organizing and engagement systems: comfortable learning tools such as NGP VAN, Scale to Win, and other voter engagement and outreach platforms
• Project coordination: comfortable learning tools such as Asana, Slack, and shared team workflows that keep field plans moving
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Portfolio Highlights + Work Samples
Below are representative examples of the kinds of communication, outreach, event support, and coordination work I can provide. Samples can be shared in a redacted format upon request.
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1) Outreach and Partner Follow-Up Toolkit
Where I used this: Beach Dawg Care® | Fort Lauderdale
What I delivered:
- Warm first-touch outreach messages
- Short follow-up sequence
- Thank-you and next-steps note
- Simple tracker for status, deadlines, and follow-up
Why it matters:
Helps teams build trust, stay organized, and keep communication consistent.
2) Event Run-of-Show and Day-of Coordination Toolkit
Where I used this: Perpetual Vibe, LLC | Miami Beach
What I delivered:
- Run-of-show timeline
- Vendor and team check-in list
- Staffing grid
- Issue log and post-event follow-up notes
Why it matters:
Supports smooth live events, clear accountability, and calm execution under deadline.
3) Community Outreach and Public-Facing Messaging Support
Where I used this: Beach Dawg Care® and community-facing roles
What I delivered:
- Clear audience-focused messaging
- Outreach drafts and public updates
- Short scripts and communication templates
- Follow-up language with clear next steps
Why it matters:
Makes information easier to understand and helps people feel welcomed, informed, and supported.
4) Deadline Tracking and Status Update Workflow
Where I used this: Beachfront Realty Inc. | Fort Lauderdale
What I delivered:
- Deadline and next-step tracker
- Scheduling and follow-through system
- Quick status update format
- Documentation process for detail-heavy workflows
Why it matters:
Reduces dropped details and keeps people aligned when multiple moving parts are in play.
5) Gala and Donor Support Toolkit
Where I used this: Mission-driven events and community programs
What I delivered:
- Seating and guest list support
- Volunteer roles list and check-in flow
- Vendor outreach and sponsor follow-up tracker
- Donation and auction item intake checklist
- Post-event thank-you and follow-up sequence
Why it matters:
Helps events run smoothly, protects relationships, and supports fundraising through organized follow-through.
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Request samples: Derrick@BeachDawgCare.com
I can share examples quickly with names and personal details removed.
Note for hiring teams
Beach Dawg Care is owner-operated and scheduled flexibly. If hired, I will scale back appointments immediately to avoid any conflict of interest and to prioritize my employer’s responsibilities and schedule.
Connect
