Darryl Watkins Jr.

Darryl a recent graduate from San Jose State University with a passion for community engagement and city planning. Darryl grew up in Bayview Hunters Point and began his career in high school working for the A. Philip Randolph Institute, coordinating voter registration drives, and advocating for his community with San Francisco political leaders. This summer program instilled an understanding for socioeconomics, that he would be able to carry throughout his career.

In 2021, Darryl was selected by the India Basin Waterfront Park Initiative’s fundraising team to serve as the India Basin Fellow and in that role contributed to the community outreach on and management of the Heroes of India Basin program. This led to Darryl taking a job in 2024 as part of the park’s campus management team, continuing his community engagement by implementing neighborhood-focused events and leading meetings with stakeholders to explore programming that build trust and establish local partnerships.