Written By JR Robinson

As Harold Collins campaigns for Shelby County Mayor, the community is looking for indicators of future performance. Often, the best predictor of what a leader will do is what they have already done when the cameras weren't focused on a campaign trail.

Six years ago, we sat down with Collins during his tenure as the Executive Director of the Shelby County Office of Reentry. In this archival footage, we don't see a politician making promises; we see a public servant delivering results.

More Than Second Chances: The "Focus" Strategy Collins’ approach to leadership has always been rooted in addressing the whole person. In the interview, he details the "Focus" program—a fourteen-week initiative designed not just to find jobs, but to heal people.

"Focus is a fourteen-week program that starts out with touching the mental trauma that they've experienced... Then we talk about reconnecting with our families because we know when you go away for a period of time, life doesn't stop."

This insight into mental health and family stability highlights a leader who understands that economic success is built on a foundation of personal stability.

Fiscal Responsibility and Human ROI Perhaps the most compelling argument for Collins' leadership style is his ability to translate compassion into economic data. He shares a striking example of a client who needed a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).

The Office of Reentry invested $2,500 to cover the client's training, fees, and license restoration. Four weeks later, that client returned with a job paying $1,500 a week.

"The return on the investment for this client is... $72,000 a year in salary," Collins noted. This demonstrates a governance style that views social services not as a cost, but as an investment with a tangible, high-yield return for the local economy.

Rooted in Memphis Values Collins’ drive is clearly inherited. A native of the area, he speaks fondly of his father, a cab driver for 51 years, and his mother, who managed the home. These roots instilled in him the value of sustainable employment and education.

His guiding philosophy remains unchanged over the years: "To whom much is given, much is required."

As voters consider the future of Shelby County, this video serves as a reminder that Harold Collins has been doing the work—rebuilding lives and strengthening the local economy—long before his name was on the ballot for Mayor.