Závon Billups, J.D.
Community Organizer, Wellness Strategist, Life-Long Learner, & Friend
Závon was born and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut—a community where resilience is inherited, much like the cities and towns he later went on to serve across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A proud Bullard-Havens Technical High School alum, and graduate of Fairfield University, Závon obtained a degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Black studies; he was also the recipient of the St. Ignatius Loyola Medal, Fairfield University’s highest student achievement honor.
Upon graduation, Závon spent several years as a teacher at a Boston middle school—where he developed their first ever Civics curriculum and authored curricular discourse that drew acclaim nation-wide by organizations like RAND.
In 2021, Závon was unanimously appointed as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus at just 24 years old, the youngest ever to achieve this feat. During his 4-year tenure, he led a 26-member legislative body, advanced key policy initiatives, and organized major statewide events uplifting Black and Latino communities.
Most recently, Závon graduated from Boston College Law School where he was a full-tuition Public Service Scholar. He was honored with the Sheila McGovern Commencement Award, which recognizes achievement of personal goals under extraordinary circumstances. He attended law school full-time, worked full-time, and ran his own speaking and consulting business simultaneously. He jokes that it wasn’t always pretty, but he got it done.
While Závon’s roles over the years have been numerous; he would describe himself as a Community Organizer, Wellness Strategist, Life-long Learner, and Friend.
DA’ ART OF STORYTELLIN’
Commencement Address - Bullard Havens Technical High School 2025
I had the honor of being the commencement speaker at my high school alma mater—just 11 years after crossing that same stage. The most full circle moment of my entire life.
I am a proud product of a technical education, a resilient community, and fortified educators. I shared with the Class of 2025 that there is no story more powerful than the one you tell yourself.
You can watch the full speech here.











