Adrienne Maree Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adrienne Maree Brown
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Brown in 2015
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| Born | September 6, 1978 El Paso, Texas, US |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
| Genre | Afrofuturism, science fiction, non-fiction; creative non-fiction |
| Subject | Activism; Community Organizing; Afrofuturism; Black Feminism; Facilitation; Social Justice; Climate Justice |
Adrienne Maree Brown (born September 6, 1978) is an American writer and activist. She is also a facilitator, which means she helps groups work together. From 2006 to 2010, she was the leader of the Ruckus Society. She also helped start the United States League of Young Voters.
Brown's ideas are often called Black feminism. This is a way of thinking that focuses on the experiences of Black women. She supports movements like Black Lives Matter. She also supports the idea of changing the justice system.
Much of her writing is inspired by the science fiction author Octavia E. Butler. Her first book, Emergent Strategy, came out in 2017. Other popular books include Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good (2019) and We Will Not Cancel Us (2020). Brown also hosts podcasts and has released music. She also works as a doula, helping people during childbirth.
Contents
Life and Activism
Growing Up and Early Work
Adrienne Maree Brown was born on September 6, 1978, in El Paso, Texas. Her parents met in college. She is the oldest of three sisters. Because her father was in the military, her family moved a lot. She lived in Germany, Georgia, New York, and California. Brown and her sisters sometimes faced unfair treatment because they were mixed-race.
Brown went to Columbia University. There, she studied African American history and politics. After college, she worked with groups that focused on social justice. She helped lead discussions at the Social Forum.
In 2009, Brown moved to Detroit. She had been invited to work with a group called Detroit Summer.
Making a Difference in Detroit
Starting in 2006, Brown worked with many social justice groups in Detroit. She became close with Grace Lee Boggs, who was an important mentor to her. Brown was a key person at the Allied Media Conference. She helped organize and lead many events there.
From 2006 to 2010, Brown was the executive director of the Ruckus Society. This group trains people for nonviolent social change.
Brown believes that our actions should create the world we want to see. She has said that people should be "guerilla gardening" and helping others get heat and water. She also supports putting up solar panels in neighborhoods. She learned these ideas from her work in Detroit.
Brown has also encouraged people to vote in presidential elections. She supported Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Her ideas are often described as Black feminism. She also supports the Black Lives Matter movement. In her book We Will Not Cancel Us, she supports changing the prison system.
Her Books and Writings
Writing for Change
Brown writes a lot about healing, self-care, and science fiction. Much of her writing is inspired by the science fiction author Octavia E. Butler. Brown's own writing style is often called Afrofuturism. This is a cultural movement that combines science fiction with Black history and culture.
In 2010, she wrote Octavia Butler Strategic Reader with Alexis Pauline Gumbs. In 2013, she won an award to hold writing workshops based on Octavia Butler's work. In 2015, she helped edit Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements. This book is a collection of short stories and essays about social justice.
Her first book, Emergent Strategy, came out in 2017. It talks about how to create lasting social change. Brown explains that "emergence" is how big, complex systems grow from many small interactions. She calls emergent strategy a "life-code" that works for both organizing and personal life.
Emergent Strategy led to other books about creating fair and healing communities. These include We Will Not Cancel Us And Other Dreams of Transformative Justice (2020) and Holding Change: The Way of Emergent Strategy Facilitation and Mediation (2021). The 2020 book We Will Not Cancel Us discusses how to deal with harm and be responsible. It is mainly for activists who want to change the prison system.
Brown has also written for many other books. These books focus on justice, change, and feminism. Some titles include How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office (2004) and Dreaming in Public (2012).
In Beyond Survival (2020), Brown wrote about "transformative justice." She believes this is better than "public takedowns" of people who make mistakes. She thinks that online shaming can make people afraid. Instead, she says we need transformative justice. This means getting to the root of problems to find solutions and healing.
Brown offers three ideas for transformative justice:
- First, she suggests we ask "why?" when someone harms us. She believes this helps us understand people better. It reminds us that things like sadness, trauma, or loneliness can explain actions.
- Second, she asks us to think, "What can we learn from this?" when we are harmed. She says that if we only learn that "some humans do bad things," it's a waste of time. We should ask how the situation can help us improve society.
- Third, Brown suggests we ask, "How can my actions help make this situation better?" She notes that on social media, pain can spread quickly. She believes that talking directly to someone, if possible, can be more helpful than public shaming. She suggests seeking mediation to resolve conflicts.
Brown emphasizes that we should not attack each other. She believes we are responsible for helping each other grow and heal.
Brown's book Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good came out in 2019. It shows how activists can use positive feelings to fight unfairness. In April 2019, the book was on The New York Times Best Seller list.
In September 2021, Brown published a novella called Grievers. This was her first long story.
Other Projects
Music
On March 25, 2021, Brown released an EP called The Sabbatical Suite. It has five songs she wrote in 2020. She also sang background vocals on the 2023 album Javelin by Sufjan Stevens.
Podcasts
Brown co-hosts the podcast How to Survive the End of the World with Autumn Brown. This podcast explores how to learn from difficult times.
In June 2020, Brown and Toshi Reagon started the podcast Octavia's Parables. This podcast takes a deep look into Octavia E. Butler's books Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents.
Brown also appeared on the podcast On Being with Krista Tippett in 2022.
Work as a Doula
Adrienne Maree Brown also works as a doula. A doula supports people during childbirth. She calls herself a "radical doula" because she sees this work as part of her activism.
Awards
- Kresge Literary Arts Fellow (2013)
- Knights Arts Challenge winner (2013, 2015)
