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Eugene “Gus” Newport

Visiting Scholar 2006-2007 Former mayor of Berkeley, California
The trailblazers in human, academic, scientific and religious freedom have always been in the minority… It will take such a small committed minority to work unrelentingly to win the uncommitted majority. Such a group may transform America’s greatest dilemma into her most glorious opportunity.
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Background

Eugene “Gus” Newport is a lifelong community activist and the former mayor of Berkeley, California (1979-1986).

Interests

As an independent consultant, he provides TA in the areas of community and economic development, policy development through a history of analysis, community organizing strategies and organizational and systems development. Newport’s activism and consulting work continue to traverse local, national, and international borders, including time as vice-president from the U.S. to the World Peace Council and service on several United Nations committees, including The Committee Against Apartheid and the Committee on The Question of Palestine. He has worked in several capacities for federal, state, county and municipal governments, nonprofit agencies and the private sector.

As an MLK scholar, he was hosted by MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning, where he co-taught the graduate Springfield practicum in re-building disenfranchised inner-city communities.

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