Vernon Payne is a focused leader a gifted and persuasive communicator who is uniquely skilled at analyzing systems.  Payne has used his ability to develop relationships and bridge divides between groups and individuals. He implemented these skills on the football field, and basketball court as a player and coach, and as a university administrator. He has used his skills to serve and benefit others at 6 different Universities, and their contiguous communities, in 3 different states.

Following a series of officer-involved shootings and deaths across the nation in 2015, Payne turned his attention to what he believed was a systemic issue with the legal system’s failure to hold officers accountable. Determined to dismantle structural and systemic racism within the criminal legal system in Kalamazoo County, Payne worked to reinstate and chair the Citizens Public Safety Review and Appeals Board (CSPRAB). Successfully doing so, he chaired CSPRAB for six years. During his time, Kalamazoo County made significant progress toward his goals.  Communication lines between Black citizens and the police have opened, and Public Safety has begun to build relations that foster data collection and transparency.  This has led to increased community trust and cooperation in solving crimes.  This has also led to a change in the culture of policing in Kalamazoo County.

 Payne considers his efforts toward dismantling structural systemic institutional racism a calling. Payne’s passion to eradicate racism moved him from developing programs that focused on outcomes that impacted him and his community to analyzing the systems that create the determinants.  He has served on numerous boards, including the Kalamazoo County Equity Task Force, the City of Kalamazoo Citizens Public Safety Review & Appeal Board, and the Kalamazoo, Michigan NAACP Executive Board. 

Payne has chaired and participated in numerous initiatives aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within educational institutions and the broader community. His leadership extends to organizing and chairing various committees focused on strategic planning and resource development, showcasing his commitment to enhancing community services and supporting diverse populations. In all spaces, his focus remains on the dismantling of structural systemic institutional racism. He carefully analyzes and illuminates the systemic issues in institutions, teaching and mentoring others on how to identify and effectuate systemic change in the culture that supports racism. As a result of his work, Vernon Payne has received numerous awards that highlight his leadership, community service and commitment to dismantling systemic racism.