Willie Jr. Fleming

Willie "J.R." Fleming has over 20 years of experience as a  community organizer and human rights defender.  He is currently the Executive Director of the Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign (CAEC), Board President of the Chicago Owner’s Land Trust (COLT), and is the President of a Section 3 Minority Owned Company.  His activism and organizing grew out of the demolition of public housing and the devastating impacts felt by his community from displacement. In the CAEC's first year, the organization built a dynamic city-wide Human Right to Housing Collective consisting of CHA tenants and families facing foreclosure.  The CAEC also won a temporary moratorium on "economically motivated" evictions in Cook County and has successfully negotiated partnerships between banks, community groups, and businesses.  As the Executive Director, J.R. worked with Cook County commissioners to help create the Cook County Land Bank, worked with Chicago Community Loan Fund a local CDFI to create a Community Land Trust pilot for 50 homes.  His work also expanded to help the Charlottesville Housing Authority, Public Housing Association of Residents, and Habitat for Humanity to create a Section 3 pilot program.