This page is my organizing and outreach portfolio for civil rights and LGBTQ+ equality work across Florida, with a focus on Broward County.
Derrick Alan Higgins
Pronouns: he/him
LGBTQ+ community focused • Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors • Florida
​I support youth and families through community outreach, practical life skills education, and resource navigation across housing, health, education, and wellness services in South Florida.
Organizing and Advocacy
Phone:
305-733-7440
Email:
Field Organizing Snapshot
• Volunteer recruitment, training support, and volunteer-led team coordination
• Door to door canvassing support, phone banks, text outreach, and community tabling
• Petition drives, voter education, and turnout support for civic engagement efforts
• Know Your Rights style outreach support and community education logistics
• Partner outreach and follow-up systems that keep coalitions engaged
• Calm de-escalation and respectful public-facing communication
• Strong documentation habits, progress tracking, and weekly reporting
• Reliable transportation, flexible evenings and weekends
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
• Secured donated items and partner support for fundraising efforts through direct outreach and relationship building
• Trained and coordinated interns and support teams for large-scale events with clear roles, timelines, and on-site execution
• Supported civic engagement and voter education messaging through broadcast and community promotion
• Supported volunteer-led outreach actions including petition collection, canvassing support, and voter education style messaging
• Maintained trackers for contacts, follow-ups, and logistics, and provided clear weekly status updates to keep goals on track
• Helped coordinate event logistics including set-up, check-in flow, issue logs, donation collection, and post-event follow-up
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
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 voter education and civic engagement initiatives in broadcast media, including Rock the Vote-style campaigns and public information 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
A Bit About Me
I am a Fort Lauderdale-based community outreach and communications professional focused on LGBTQ+ rights, public education, and community support, helping mission-driven teams turn values into real-world impact. My work blends relationship-based outreach, event and volunteer coordination, and clear, calm communication that helps people feel welcomed and informed.
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Before launching Beach Dawg Care, I worked in electronic media (TV and radio) and live event promotions, including as the owner of Perpetual Vibe, LLC in Miami Beach. I produced and promoted live music events and early Winter Music Conference programming, which trained me to deliver under deadline, stay organized, and keep messaging consistent. Today, I bring that same reliability to community programs, supportive services, and operations roles where follow-through matters.​​​
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​I support equality work through grassroots outreach, coalition support, and public education that helps people access resources with dignity.
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I bring field-ready outreach skills built through public-facing communications, event operations, and relationship building. I am comfortable with canvassing support, tabling, volunteer mobilization, and follow through systems that keep community work organized and moving.
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What you can count on
• Outreach and relationship building with community partners
• Event logistics support, run of show, and day of coordination
• Volunteer coordination, training support, and follow up
• Client and participant support, intake style communication, and resource navigation
• Clear writing for emails, web copy, and social updates
• Calm de-escalation and steady problem solving under pressure
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
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​
How I support mission-driven teams
Based in Fort Lauderdale with reliable transportation and flexible availability, including evenings and weekends. I support teams by keeping logistics tight, communications consistent, and people feeling welcomed.
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I am comfortable stepping into roles that include community outreach and organizing support, event and fundraising support, supportive services style coaching and resource navigation, and front desk or reception coverage. I value confidentiality, accuracy, and respectful collaboration, and I communicate clearly in person, by phone, and in writing.​
Portfolio Work Samples (Selected)
Below are real work examples and the types of deliverables I can provide. Samples can be shared in a redacted format upon request.
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1) Outreach and Partner Follow-Up Pack
Where I used this: Beach Dawg Care® (Fort Lauderdale)
What I delivered:
- First outreach message (warm, clear, action-focused)
- Follow-up sequence (short and respectful)
- Thank-you and next steps note
- Simple partner tracker (status, next step, deadline)
Why it matters: Helps teams build trust quickly and keep communication consistent.
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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 (who, where, when)
- Issue log (so nothing gets missed)
- Post-event follow-up notes
Why it matters: Keeps events organized under deadline and supports smooth, calm execution on-site.
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3) 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
- Clear status update format (quick, accurate, easy to scan)
Why it matters: Reduces dropped details and keeps people aligned when things move fast.
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4) Public-Facing Messaging and Promotion Support
Where I used this: iHeartMedia WEND 106.5 The End (Charlotte)
What I delivered:
- Short talking points for public-facing communication
- Simple scripts and quick message drafts
- Promotion support language for community activations
Why it matters: Makes messaging easier to understand and consistent across different audiences.
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5) Intake-Style Support Scripts and Calm Communication
Where I used this: Store management roles (Miami Beach) and wellness instruction (Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach)
What I delivered:
- Welcome script (warm and structured)
- Intake question flow (respectful and clear)
- Boundary-setting language (calm, professional)
- Follow-up message with clear next steps
Why it matters: Helps people feel supported, respected, and guided with structure.​​
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6) Gala and Donor Support Toolkit
Where I used this: Mission-driven events and community programs
What I delivered:
- Seating and guest list support (simple, accurate, easy to update)
- Vendor outreach notes and sponsor follow-up tracker
- Volunteer roles list with arrival times and check-in flow
- Donation and auction item intake checklist and collection log
- Post-event thank-you sequence and next steps follow-up
Why it matters: Helps events run smoothly, protects relationships, and supports fundraising through organized follow-through.
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Request Samples
Email: Derrick@BeachDawgCare.com
I can share examples quickly with names and personal details removed.
Current focus
I am especially motivated by work that protects LGBTQ+ civil rights, strengthens civil liberties, improves safety and belonging in everyday life, and helps communities access support with dignity.
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I am especially motivated by work that protects voting rights, privacy, free speech, immigrant justice, and racial justice, while strengthening safety and belonging for LGBTQ+ people through practical, people-first outreach and community education.
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I am pursuing full-time roles in Florida that strengthen community connection, expand access to support, and protect civil liberties through consistent outreach and reliable operations.
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The roles I am focused on typically include a mix of:
• Community and field outreach: tabling, phone banks, canvassing support, volunteer recruitment, and partner coordination
• Event and fundraising support: planning help, on-site coordination, guest experience, and timely follow-up communication
• Supportive services and coaching: welcoming intake style support, goal focused guidance, resource navigation, and de-escalation when needed
• Front desk and customer service: being the first point of contact, scheduling, documentation, and keeping day-to-day details on track
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I work best in teams that value empathy, accountability, and clear communication, and I take pride in being someone others can rely on when things are time sensitive.
Portfolio Highlights
• Event logistics and on-site execution (Perpetual Vibe, LLC, Miami Beach): built run of show timelines, team coordination plans, vendor check-ins, and follow-through that kept events running smoothly under deadline
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• Outreach messaging and community-facing communication (Beach Dawg Care® - Fort Lauderdale): created clear public messaging, outreach drafts, and updates that helped people understand next steps quickly and feel welcomed
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• Time-sensitive coordination and documentation (Beachfront Realty Inc. - Fort Lauderdale): managed scheduling, deadlines, and detail-heavy follow-through using simple tracking systems and consistent status updates
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• Fast-turnaround coordination in a daily production environment (Charlotte): supported quick planning, guest coordination, and organized notes while meeting tight timelines
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• Intake-style support and calm de-escalation (community-facing roles): handled high-stress moments with steady communication, clear boundaries, and respectful problem solving
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• Confidentiality and professionalism (all settings): protected privacy, handled sensitive details appropriately, and kept communication consistent and dependable
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
Outreach operations: contact lists, partner tracking, follow-up sequences, status reporting
Event operations: run of show timelines, staffing grids, vendor coordination, issue logs
Social and web content: clear updates, flyers and posts, community information sharing
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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
Connect
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.