MEET MELANIE HAWKINS

Meet Mel!

2023 City Leadership Spring Resident.

My name is Melanie Hawkins, and I am a new resident at City Leadership. I will primarily be working with the alumni department and as a Choose 901 alum, graduating from New Hope Christian Academy, I could not be more thrilled.

Born and raised in Memphis, I’ve always connected with City Leadership and what it stands for: spotlighting the people and organizations that are making positive changes within the city. It’s easy to become disheartened by what we hear in the news and, sometimes, from what we hear from other Memphians, but City Leadership has managed to walk a line between being both optimistic and realistic.

I received my undergraduate degree in English literature (with a minor in history) from Christian Brothers University. I then went on to earn my master’s in journalism from the University of Memphis. I’m hoping that this residency will allow me to brush off some of the writing skills that I acquired in undergrad and graduate school.

My two great loves are books and music. My favorite book genres are historical fiction, romance, and true crime. Recently I’ve tried to read more memoirs, so I’m currently reading “The Heart of a Woman” by Maya Angelou. I put a lot of thought—maybe too much thought—into the books that I recommend. So if anyone asks me for a book recommendation, please give me at least 24 hours to respond. My favorite music genres are….pretty much everything but bluegrass.

I also really enjoy yoga, and one of my new year’s resolutions is to get back into a consistent yoga and meditation practice. Another new year’s resolution is to take an American Sign Language course. I’m still working on that one. My guilty pleasures are reality television (particularly the Real Housewives franchise and The Bachelor) and listening to podcasts about scam artists. I also enjoy yelling at obnoxious couples on House Hunters who refuse to stay within their budget.

But enough about me, I am so excited to learn and grow with the amazing team at City Leadership, and I look forward to being an asset as they continue to highlight the incredible things that are taking place in this city.

— Melanie Hawkins