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We the People: Mobilizing Voters, Strengthening Voting Rights & Combating Voter Suppression
Award-winning community organizer and political strategist LATOSHA BROWN discusses the biggest existential threat to American democracy in modern times: infringements on the guaranteed right to vote. Since 2014, over 33M American citizens have been dropped from voting rolls. Most have been moved from the rolls due to a resurgence of voter suppression tactics and politics. Minority voters have been intentionally targeted with these efforts and are disproportionately impacted.
In this hopeful call for change, Brown lays out how, as voters and citizens, we can solve the voter suppression issue in ways that not only protects the right to vote but ultimately strengthens our democracy. Brown poses to audiences some of the most critical questions of our day:
Trends in America’s Shifting Political Landscape
Award-winning community organizer and political strategist LATOSHA BROWN has seen America’s political landscape shift in both the global and domestic arenas in ways that threaten the foundation of this country as being a democratic nation. Brown explains the passage and implementation of deeply troubling policies, state sanctioned acts, and legislation that impact the civil and human rights of immigrant groups, women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community.
Culture & Context Matters: Building Political Power through Storytelling and Strategic Messaging
Award-winning community organizer and political strategist LATOSHA BROWN proposes ways to rebuild trust in the American democratic system. Looking ahead, Brown discusses the impact of an era where people are receiving information and developing political ideologies through non-vetted social media outlets, political soundbites, and opinion-based news networks.
The Power of Historically Disenfranchised Voters
Political organizer LATOSHA BROWN identifies the impact of historically disenfranchised voters on this election cycle and beyond, considering America’s ongoing demographic shifts. Brown examines the factors propelling increased representation, the impact of identity on the national political landscape, and differences between previous and current social movements.
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Case Study: LaTosha Brown speaks to a captivated audience at William Paterson University
Co-founder of Black Voters Matter, national organizer, political strategist, and fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, LATOSHA BROWN spoke to students, faculty, and staff at William Paterson University, delivering her 40 minute keynote “Protecting The Crown: Breaking Generational Curses," followed by a 30 minute Q&A. She is also an accomplished singer and full of electrifying energy, and seamlessly transitioned from spiritual song into her remarks. Eloquent and knowledgeable, Brown held the audience in the palm of her hand as she spoke, and evoked a powerful visualization of the students as the future of America. Brown spoke on her recent work and the current national conversation, and inspired students to redefine and protect the crown of Black identity, family, culture, and more. She received many rave reviews from the community for her captivating speech: “Amazing! We need to bring her back again!,” “Definitely loved her message and her exchange with students!,” and “LaTosha Brown was fire...great start to the month.”
LaTosha Brown activates voters for the 2024 election
Award-winning community organizer and political strategist LATOSHA BROWN addresses the ways voter disengagement threatens the foundations of this country. She empowers audiences to acknowledge and call out the challenges to democracy we are witnessing today. Brown highlights that while times are complicated, LaTosha offers a hopeful call for change by envisioning a path forward.
LaTosha Brown wins major Civil Rights Advocate Award
Award-winning community organizer and political strategist LATOSHA BROWN has been honored by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law honored Brown with the Civil Rights Advocate Award for her work in grassroots community organization. Brown is a Harvard Kennedy School of Government Fellow, board member of the National Coalition on Black Civic Engagement (NCBCP), and co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund, a power-building, southern-based civic engagement organization. Throughout her career, Brown has distinguished herself as a trusted expert and resource in political strategy, rural development, and special programming for several national and regional philanthropies.
Watch LaTosha Brown give Pitzer College’s commencement speech >>
LaTosha Brown is a national treasure, tailoring memorable messages of hope and shared humanity
When LATOSHA BROWN stopped by the Harry Walker Agency for a virtual visit, we were simply blown away by her high-energy message of hope and shared humanity. Ms. Brown is an award-winning organizer, political strategist, and consultant with over two decades of experience working in the non-profit and philanthropy sectors, and is perhaps best known for co-founding the Black Voters Matter Fund. Also an accomplished jazz singer, she kicked off the riveting virtual event with an incredible musical interlude, sharing her passion for connection through song as a reminder of our shared humanity. No stranger to the obstacles of advocating for social justice, political empowerment, economic development, and civil rights, Ms. Brown views the current political climate as an opportunity to be honest about the challenges and offers solution-oriented insights geared toward transforming our companies and communities through authenticity, connection, and joy – the laughter on our call was contagious!
As she says, Ms. Brown has the “unmitigated gall to believe humanity can be better,” drawing on her experience as an organizer and Black feminist thought leader to invite us to close our eyes and envision the future, and specifically the democracy, that we deserve. Ms. Brown compels us to consider the current, defining moment in our nation’s history and to reclaim our humanity – focus on the message we’re trying to share, calling one another in, and trusting that, as she affirms, “our greatest resource is each other.” A gifted and one-of-a-kind orator, Ms. Brown thoughtfully tailors each event, working with clients to understand what their unique audiences need to ensure the biggest impact possible. Our team described the resounding message of connection as “spirit-lifting” and “amazing!” As she closed with a rendition of ‘This Little Light of Mine’, positivity erupted in our office, with folks jumping out of their seats to talk about what an impactful conversation Ms. Brown started that is sure to reverberate long after our memorable event.
LaTosha Brown, who was recently tapped to develop the Harvard Kennedy School’s “Combating Racism” school-wide initiative, is the grassroots organizer, educator, and speaker all audiences love!
You cannot turn on the TV without seeing LATOSHA BROWN speaking about the work she’s doing to advance racial justice and political power for marginalized people. Her organization, Black Voters Matter works to activate progressive power in the rural south. In a letter entitled “Combatting Racism”, the Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School outlined steps the graduate school will take to address this political moment, shift practices within the school, and expand offerings to students around racial justice. Fellow at the Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership, the Kennedy School Institute of Politics (IOP), Kennedy School Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP) and the Kennedy School Hauser Institute for Civil Society, Brown will help launch “Teach-in Summer” — a summer of listening, learning, and galvanizing our community to action.
Asked to speak on the recent election and current political and social climate, Brown has appeared on CNN, CBS News, MSNBC, Pod Save America, and countless other outlets. Organizations rave, “I just wanted to say, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! She was phenomenal!!! LATOSHA BROWN FOR PRESIDENT! She came onto the stage singing with that powerful voice of hers and it set the tone for one of the most powerful messages that we have heard in a long time.” (Rowan University)
LaTosha Brown is an award-winning visionary thought leader, institution builder, Cultural Activist and Artist, and Connector. She is a nationally recognized, “go-to” expert in Black Voting Rights and Voter Suppression, Black Women’s Empowerment, and Philanthropy.
LaTosha is the Co-Founder of Black Voters Matter Fund and Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute. These initiatives are designed to boost Black voter registration and turnout, as well as increase power in marginalized, predominantly Black communities.
LaTosha is also the Visionary, Founder and Co-Anchor of a regional network called the Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium. This is $100 million, 10-year initiative to invest in organizations that serve Black women and girls. The goal of the consortium is to create a new approach to philanthropy by allowing every component of the program, inception to execution, to be created by Black girls and women in the South.
Ms. Brown is also the 2020 Hauser Leader at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School, the 2020 Leader in Practice at Harvard Kennedy School’s Women and Public Policy Program, and a 2020-2021 American Democracy fellow at the Charles Warren Center at Harvard.
What’s Next?
LaTosha has worked in 23 different countries to include Kenya, Guyana, and Brazil. Her next mission involves resourcing and empowering women across the Diaspora. “I don’t want women to be seen as victims; they are the problem solvers for the world. I am convinced that Black Women are going to liberate the world!”
In the Media
Ms. Brown has received numerous awards and accolades for her work. She has been featured on ABC, CBS, CNN, Democracy Now, and PBS. Her Op-Eds have been showcased in the New York Times, Politico and Essence. Her work has also been highlighted in several docuseries: What’s Eating America?, American Swamp, and Finding Justice. To learn more about LaTosha, please visit www.latoshabrown.com
My Speaker List
