AUSTIN
ROSHUN
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE WORKS, INC.
Rebuilding neighborhoods through people-centered development, policy advocacy, and transformative investment.
LEADERSHIP ROOTED
IN COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LEADER AND EQUITABLE HOUSING ADVOCATE
Roshun Austin is the President and CEO of The Works, Inc., a Memphis-based community development corporation dedicated to revitalizing historically disinvested neighborhoods.
With decades of experience rooted in lived community knowledge, Roshun leads holistic development efforts that integrate affordable housing, food access, policy advocacy, and neighborhood infrastructure.
FEATURED ON
“Community development must begin with dignity, trust, and shared power.”
-ROSHUN AUSTIN
VISION AND VALUES
Vision & Leadership
We must lead alongside those we serve. Leadership styles often suggest that the greatest position of power is ahead or top-down. But, like the interlocked or linked arms in unity sculptures often found in African art we find our greatest power in our togetherness.
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This philosophy emphasizes the shared, collective, and interdependent nature of our relationships and communities. Our humanity is only realized when we are in harmony with and show mutual respect for and love and kindness to our neighbors, our bodies, our environment.
My foundational philosophy is Ubuntu “I am because we are”.
STORIES OF PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS
BRIDGING MEMPHIS
Hosted by Roshun Austin, Bridging Memphis is a podcast centered on community, connection,
and the conversations that shape our neighborhoods. Each episode features leaders,
organizers, and neighbors Roshun has built trust with over decades of grassroots and institutional work.
These are honest conversations about history, systems, setbacks, and hope –
grounded in real relationships and real places. They explore what it means to show up for
community and how collective effort moves cities forward.
THE COMMITMENTS
BEHIND THE WORK
Roshun’s work is guided by the belief that meaningful change happens when people are
centered, systems are challenged, and neighborhoods are understood as interconnected ecosystems.
People First
Community voices guide every decision.
Those closest to the challenges hold critical insight into
what works and what doesn’t. Roshun’s leadership is grounded in listening deeply, honoring lived experience, and translating community knowledge into action.
Systems Change
Policy is infrastructure
Housing, health, and opportunity are shaped by systems that determine who has access and who is left behind. Roshun focuses on challenging and reshaping those systems so that solutions address root causes, not just their symptoms.
Whole Neighborhoods
Community development is not siloed work.
It weaves together housing, food access, health,
education, environment, and culture to strengthen the full fabric of neighborhood life. This Integrated approach supports long-term stability, resilience, and opportunity across generations.
MEDIA & NEWS FEATURES
MEMPHIS BUSINESS JOURNAL
Northside Square represents what is possible when community and public and private partners come together with a shared vision. Together, we are restoring a cornerstone of this neighborhood and creating opportunities for families, entrepreneurs, and residents to thrive without displacement. Austin said.
ENGAGE. LEARN.COLLABORATE.
Roshun Austin is a sought-after voice in community development and equitable housing, frequently invited to speak on neighborhood revitalization, policy reform, appraisal bias, and people-centered development.
Grounded in lived experience and decades of leadership, her work bridges strategy and humanity – offering practical insight into how systems, policy, and place intersect to shape equitable futures.
About
The Works, Inc.
Roshun Austin is President and CEO of The Works, Inc., a Memphis-based community development corporation with more than three decades of experience rebuilding neighborhoods through affordable housing, food access, policy advocacy, and people-centered investment.
Her leadership spans affordable housing development, food justice, health and environmental equity, and systems reform– always grounded in partnership with the communities she serves. Under
her direction, The Works has become a national model for holistic, community-led development.
ROSHUN AUSTIN
This is a space to share ideas, elevate community voices, and explore what it means to lead with integrity, accountability, and shared purpose.
Copyright 2025 Roshun Austin. Site Credit Fenise & Co.
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