Tommie Watkins

Tommie Watkins, Jr (born c. 1975 in Hueytown) is coordinator of the Birmingham MPowerment Project, an HIV/AIDS prevention specialist at AIDS Alabama and a doctoral student at UAB.

Watkins grew up in Hueytown and was ordained as a minister at First Baptist Church of Hueytown when he was 17. He entered the U. S. Naval Academy after graduating from Hueytown High School with hopes of becoming a pilot. During his first year he contracted viral encephalitis and fell into a coma. He recovered and returned to Annapolis after a year of convalescence. He was elected president of his class, but, after being accused of homosexual behavior he was expelled and ordered to pay $86,000 to repay the service for his training. After several appeals the monetary penalty was withdrawn in 2000.

Watkins wrote a memoir of his experiences entitled Living Out Loud. He completed his bachelor's degree in aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. He is a licensed multi-engine commercial pilot and took a consulting job in Miami. There he returned to the ministry in an AIDS-related program at Greater Bethel AME Church. He returned to Alabama and completed a master's degree in social work at the University of Alabama in 2009.

Watkins is pursuing a doctorate in health communications at UAB and is the first recipient of an endowed scholarship named in honor of AIDS activist Billy Cox. He is also junior warden at St Andrew's Episcopal Church.

Publications

• Watkins, Tommie Jr (200_) Living Out Loud

References

• Carlton, Bob (October 4, 2009) "Tommie Watkins Jr. continues the late Billy Cox's legacy as a Birmingham community AIDS activist." Birmingham News