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Institute, Citizen Action, Political Ac- tion Policy Organization, and National Coalition on Black Voter Participation. Allen co-founded the Illinois Alli- ance of Black Student Organizations, representing 70 African-American or- ganizations. He was a program director for Operation PUSH and later Special Projects Director. Rev. Jesse Jackson named Allen as Deputy National Youth Coordinator for Jackson’s historic 1988 presidential campaign and was an alter- nate delegate to Jackson’s delegation. In 2013, Allen established the Na- tional Black Wall Street, which focused
on assisting and educating the commu- nity on consumer rights and the impor- tance of and access to capital. Later, Allen also served as a voter educational/ registration specialist for the Chicago Urban League. Brother Mark Allen is preceded by his parents. He is survived by daughter Dania R. Allen; son Markus R. Allen; sister Michelle Allen-Marsh; Minor J. Allen, Jr. (Theta Zeta 1977); and a host of close friends and relatives.
Community activism started at an early age for Allen, who ran for Mayor of Chicago at age 12. As an adolescent working in his neighborhood, he founded his inaugural community-based organization called Help the Community. By high school, Allen worked with Rev. Jesse Jackson and Operation Breadbasket, Operation Push, and the Rainbow Push Operation. Later, Allen was one of the late Mayor
Harold Washington's key young coordinators during Washington's historic mayoral campaigns. Allen supported the grassroots community efforts of a young Barack Obama, and in 1996, he was a key supporter and organizer for Obama's campaign for the Illinois State Senate.
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