9-4-62 / 4-8-23
Submitted by Abani Rollins
Gregory “Greg” Antonio Rollins was born to the late Elder Ezekiel Major Rollins and Mary Janie Rollins on September 4, 1962, in Miami, Florida. He received his early education in the Miami-Dade Public School System and graduated from Eustis High School, Class of 1980.
Greg graduated from one of the most pre-stigious universities in the nation, Florida Agricultural and Me-chanical University (FAMU). There, he received a dual degree in Public Administration and History. In college, Greg joined the first Prince Hall Masonic Lodge in Florida, founded by his great-great-grandfather in 1875.
After college, Greg relocated back to Miami, where he began his lifetime career of community activism and political engagement. Greg worked at Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department for nearly 30 years. His former coworkers describe him as honorable, dedicated, and informed.
Some of Greg’s duties as Bureau Commander included:
– Directing and supervising the operations of civilian and sworn staffing as it relates to re-entry, care, custody, and control
– Planning, directing, and coordinating complex cognitive behavioral, social, educational, vocational, and life skill programs and functions required for the inmate population
– Developing and formulating departmental and bureau policies, programs, and direction
Passionate about local and global organizational and social change, Greg found great joy in teaching the nonviolence principles of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He spent time abroad in Nigeria as part of a small contingent responsible for training approximately 30,000 ex-militants from various states in the Niger Delta. The program taught ex-militants how to: list and define the principles and strategies of nonviolence, examine organizational and social change applications related to nonviolence, recognize types and levels of conflict, and recognize the application of nonviolence theories to activism.
He also served as a member and trainer of the Florida Martin Luther King Jr., Institute for Nonviolence for over 25 years. He has conducted trainings for Miami Dade Public Schools, Broward County Public Schools, Leon County Public Schools, State of Florida Juvenile Justice, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Miami Beach Police, City of Miami Police, Miami Dade State Attorney’s Office, Miami-Dade Public Defender’s office, and many more entities and organizations.
Greg’s involvement in other community institutions and organizations included the Federation of Black Employees, NAACP P.U.L.S.E., and Cooking Gents. He has received professional honors from Florida International University, The University of Miami School of Law, The National Association of Counties, and many more organizations.
Furthermore, Greg has been a proud member of one of South Florida’s premier churches, Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church for over 50 years. During his service at Mt. Olive, Greg served in nearly every ministry but was most notably known for his role as Church School Superintendent and lead vocalist in the male chorus.
Greg was witty, generous, kind, creative, and tenacious. He also was a serial entrepreneur with a love for learning and calculated risks. His impact shall live on.
