Tim Watkins

Tim Watkins grew up in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. His father was sent to Los Angeles from Mississippi at the age of thirteen to escape being lynched. He met Tim’s mother, a white woman from San Francisco, after his first wife passed away from tuberculosis. Tim’s parents were married in Mexico because it was illegal for them to get married in the United States and moved to the Palm Lake Housing project in Watts where they raised five children. Tim’s father established the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC) with union leaders to address challenges in the community. Tim and his four siblings were always involved with their Watts community and the WLCAC and Tim went on to become President and Chief Executive Officer. After graduating from Hamilton High School in Culver City, Tim toured with his band The Silvers and married one of the other band members. Tim has six children through two different marriages, many of whom support his work at WLCAC. He hopes to address poor public policy in his community and poverty as a symptom of that poor public policy.