Brittany Packnett Cunningham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brittany Packnett Cunningham
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| Born |
Brittany N. Packnett
November 12, 1984 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Washington University in St. Louis (BA) American University (MEd) |
| Occupation | Activist, non-profit executive, podcast host |
| Spouse(s) | Reginald Cunningham (m. 2019) |
Brittany N. Packnett Cunningham, born on November 12, 1984, is an American activist. She helped start an organization called Campaign Zero. This group works to end police violence. She also worked as a leader for Teach For America in St. Louis, Missouri. Later, she was part of President Barack Obama's special group, the Task Force on 21st Century Policing.
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Early Life and Education
Brittany Packnett Cunningham was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her father, Ronald Broadnox Packnett, was a Baptist minister. Her mother's name is Gwendolyn.
Brittany went to John Burroughs School. She then studied African-American Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree there. Later, she received a master's degree in education from American University.
Working for Change
Standing Up in Ferguson
In 2014, Brittany Packnett Cunningham was working for Teach For America in St. Louis. At this time, protests began in Ferguson, Missouri. This happened after a police officer shot and killed an 18-year-old Black man, Michael Brown.
Brittany used social media, like Twitter, to share information. She wanted to correct what she felt was a wrong story about the protests. She became an important voice on "Black Twitter." There, she talked about education, voting rights, and equal pay for everyone.
The Washington Post newspaper said Brittany was very involved in planning the Ferguson protests. The Governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, asked her to join the Ferguson Commission. This group was created to help the community after the unrest.
Campaign Zero and National Work
In the summer of 2015, Brittany Packnett Cunningham helped create Campaign Zero. This group works on policies to stop police violence. That same year, she joined President Barack Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing. This group was formed after events like Michael Brown's death brought attention to police brutality.
Time magazine recognized Brittany in 2015. They named her one of the "12 New Faces of Black Leadership." The Root magazine also included her on their 2015 Root 100 list. Ebony magazine's 2015 Power 100 list featured Brittany. It also included Johnetta Elzie, Deray Mckesson, and Samuel Sinyangwe for their work with Campaign Zero.
In 2016, she became the Vice President of National Community Alliances at Teach for America. She started the organization's first campaign focused on civil rights and equality.
Sharing Her Views
During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Brittany Packnett Cunningham supported Hillary Clinton. She said her goal was to support the important work being done.
In a 2017 NPR interview, Brittany suggested that white people read an essay. The essay, called "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," helps people understand white privilege.
In May 2020, she spoke on MSNBC about the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. She said that America needs to think about why action often only happens after a viral video of Black suffering.
In February 2022, she was interviewed on MSNBC again. She talked about new self-defense laws in Missouri. She explained that when people talk about "making America great again," they might want to return to times when Black people could be harmed without consequences.
Personal Life
In 2019, Brittany Packnett married Reginald Cunningham. He is also an activist. They met in 2014 at a protest in their hometown of St. Louis. Their wedding took place at Studio BE, an art gallery in New Orleans. They stood between large portraits of Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King Jr..
Brittany learned about her ancestors on the PBS show Finding Your Roots. She found out who her paternal grandfather was, which she had not known before.
