Troy Blackwell on the record

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Troy Blackwell's accolades extend internationally as he has taken his media and communication expertise to history making roles as the first openly LGBTQ+ person to become the spokesperson for the U.S. Peace Corps and the highest ranking Latino appointee under the Biden-Harris administration as the deputy chief communications officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Patent and Trademark Office.

Troy Blackwell served as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ deputy chief communications officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Patent and Trademark Office – the second-largest intellectual property office in the world. Before this, Blackwell held a diplomatic appointment as the global spokesperson for the U.S. Peace Corps, where he broke barriers as the first openly LGBTQ+ person appointed to the role in its 64-year history. 

Rounding out the honorees is Troy Blackwell, a former Colin Powell Global Leadership Fellow whose groundbreaking public service career has taken him from the U.S. Peace Corps to the Biden-Harris Administration. Blackwell served as Deputy Chief Communications Officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Patent and Trademark Office, becoming the agency’s highest-ranking Latino appointee during the administration. 

The National Black Justice Collective (NBJC) proudly names Troy Blackwell to the 2025 Cohort of 100 Black LGBTQ+ Emerging Leaders to Watch—a rigorously selected consortium of extraordinary changemakers representing the next generation of freedom fighters. 

The National BPIA Week Awards are an annual celebration honoring exceptional leaders whose work is transforming industries, shaping policy, and inspiring communities worldwide. This year’s honorees embody excellence across fields such as finance, global economic development, democratic governance, national security, media, sustainability, and more.

Troy Blackwell is a powerhouse in public affairs and global storytelling whose work has directly strengthened America’s diplomatic presence and uplifted the Peace Corps community on a global stage. As Director of the Office of Press Relations and the agency’s Global Spokesperson, Troy steered communications across 64 countries, helping shape the public narrative for some of the Peace Corps’ most pivotal milestones in recent history.

Troy Blackwell is launching a new Substack where he will be diving into politics, government, social impact, and culture—sharing unfiltered thoughts and deeper analysis on the news of the day.  

substack.com/@troyblackwelljr

New York City Democrat Troy Blackwell joined Times Now India's 'The News Hour' - India's most popular and most viewed English news channel, to discuss Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral primary win and why he is resonating with voters.

Former federal appointed official, Troy Blackwell, was elected to the Victory Fund Campaign Board, the largest LGBTQ+ political action committee in the country. To date, only 0.25% of U.S. elected officials at all levels are LGBTQ.

 In his role at an organization committed to uplifting LGBTQ+ voices through music and fostering inclusion, Troy Blackwell Jr. has strengthened governance, enhanced transparency and streamlined grievance processes. Under his leadership, membership grew by more than 200 and deficit was reduced by 92%. Blackwell Jr. negotiated a 20 year partnership with the LGBT Center of New York and secured performances at Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Museum and the Tony Awards.

The National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP), America’s largest cultural celebration, highlighted Troy Blackwell in their ABC7NY televised segment with 2.62 million viewers. Troy discussed how the annual NPRDP scholarship was integral to his professional journey from the Bronx to the White House.

The Trump-Vance administration has made one thing clear in its first 100 days: the Caribbean is no longer a priority — unless it’s about deportations, trade crackdowns, or pulling aid. For those of us in New York City, home to the largest Caribbean diaspora in the United States, this isn’t just foreign policy. It’s personal.

Across Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens, Caribbean Americans are watching as the hard-won ties between our communities and our homelands are quietly unraveled.

OPEN Monday host Doctor Bob Lee from WBLS sits down with Bronx native Troy Blackwell, an award-winning communicator and government executive, and joins the program to speak about how he is navigating the current political space while shedding light on the work that he has done serving in government.

Troy Blackwell, who worked for the Department of Commerce in the Biden administration, said a big piece of DEI involves making policies and resources accessible for underserved communities. In his final year working for the Department of Commerce, Blackwell and his team opened patent and trademark resource libraries at Hispanic-serving institutions and historically Black colleges and universities. 

For decades, the South has been painted as a Republican stronghold, a region where Democratic campaigns go to falter and progressive policies hit a wall of resistance. But this narrative overlooks the evolving demographics, changing political landscape and untapped potential that make the South a battleground Democrats cannot afford to ignore. It’s time for Democrats to embrace a new Southern strategy — one that goes beyond simply competing and aims to build lasting political infrastructure in the region.

Troy Blackwell, the Deputy Chief Communications Officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Patent & Trademark Office,  joined WIN-TV and our Let's Talk at the Table segment, with Washington Informer reporters.

Now Harris is expected to oversee the same certification process to finalize Trump's victory as voters brush off concerns about the future of American democracy and return the former Republican president to the White House.

"I thought she did a phenomenal job. She ended the campaign with optimism and hope, which is what people needed,'' said Troy Blackwell, a Harris supporter.

More than 700 alumni of Biden’s 2020 campaign have signed a letter in support of Harris’ candidacy, aiming to demonstrate a united front with the goal of once again defeating Trump. These leaders represent a cross-section of individuals who have worked for and alongside President Biden since he was president-elect, a presidential candidate, a vice president, and at one time, President Barack Obama’s running mate.

This interactive panel discussion, led by social impact agency CMRIgnite, will explore how organizations can leverage authentic storytelling as a superpower to reach communities and inspire real, positive change.  Troy Blackwell will share relevant case studies, explore the essential elements of effective communication, and provide best practices and practical tools to help amplify underrepresented voices.

The United States Department of Commerce spotlights Troy Blackwell, Deputy Chief Communications Officer, for Hispanic Heritage Month.

Troy Blackwell is a bilingual public relations executive serving as President Biden’s Deputy Chief Communications Officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) – the second largest intellectual property office in the world.

Blackwell joins USPTO following two detail assignments at the Peace Corps, most recently with the office of enterprise integration at the U.S. Selective Service System.

Troy Blackwell, Director of Press Relations and Spokesperson for the Peace Corps, explains how he navigates public relations and storytelling for the agency. He dives into the importance of having open and inclusive conversations. He also describes the impact behind the ‘Bold Invitation’ campaign and how the message is reaching audiences of all backgrounds.

Power Players Rising honoree, Troy Blackwell was appointed as Press Director & Chief Spokesperson for the Peace Corps by the Biden-Harris Administration. In our interview, Troy, a champion for inclusion and representation, gives us insight into his new role as well as the journey he took to get there.