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 November 12, 1984) is an American activist. She is known for her work fighting for social justice and equality. She helped start an organization called Campaign Zero. She also worked as an executive director for Teach For America in St. Louis, Missouri. Later, she became a member of President Barack Obama's special group, the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing, which looked at how police work could be improved.
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Early Life and Education
Brittany Packnett Cunningham was born on November 12, 1984. Her parents are Rev Ronald Broadnox Packnett and Gwendolyn Packnett. Her father is a Baptist minister in St. Louis.
Brittany went to Washington University in St. Louis and earned a degree in African-American Studies. She then got her master's degree in education from American University. She is often described as being very aware of social injustices and working to fix them.
Her Work for Change
Starting with Teach for America
In 2014, Brittany was working as the executive director for Teach For America in St. Louis. This organization helps put teachers in schools that need them most. That year, a big event happened in Ferguson, Missouri. An 18-year-old Black man named Michael Brown was shot and killed by a police officer. This led to many protests.
Brittany used social media, like Twitter, to share what was really happening during the protests. She felt that the news was not always showing the full story. She became an important voice on social media, speaking out about education, voting rights, and equal pay for everyone.
Joining the Ferguson Commission
The Washington Post newspaper said that Brittany was very involved in planning and organizing the Ferguson protests. Because of her work, the Governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, asked her to join the Ferguson Commission. This group was created to help the community after the protests.
Creating Campaign Zero
In 2015, Brittany helped create Campaign Zero. This group works to end police violence by suggesting new policies and laws. In the same year, President Barack Obama asked her to join his Task Force on 21st Century Policing. This group was formed after the deaths of Michael Brown and others brought attention to police brutality.
Being Recognized for Her Leadership
Brittany's work gained a lot of attention.
- Time magazine named her one of the "12 New Faces of Black Leadership" in 2015.
- The Root magazine also included her on their 2015 "Root 100" list, calling her a "bridge over turbulent, troubled waters."
- Ebony magazine put her on their "2015 Power 100" list for her work with Campaign Zero, alongside other activists like Johnetta Elzie, Deray Mckesson, and Samuel Sinyangwe.
Continuing Her Work
In 2016, Brittany was promoted at Teach for America. She became the Vice President of National Community Alliances. She also started the organization's first campaign focused on civil rights and equality.
During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Brittany supported Hillary Clinton for president. She explained that her choice was about continuing the important work for change.
In a 2017 interview with NPR, Brittany encouraged people to learn about "white privilege." This idea means that some people have advantages just because they are white. She suggested reading an essay called White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh to understand it better.
In May 2020, during an interview on MSNBC about the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, Brittany said that America needs to ask why action only happens when videos of Black suffering go viral.
In February 2022, also on MSNBC, she spoke about new self-defense laws in Missouri. She said that when people talk about "making America great again," they sometimes want to return to times when Black people could be harmed without consequences.
Personal Life
In 2019, Brittany Packnett married fellow activist Reginald Cunningham in New Orleans. They first met in 2014 at a protest in their hometown of St. Louis. Their wedding took place at Studio BE, an art gallery, with large portraits of Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King Jr. nearby.
Brittany learned more about her family history on an episode of PBS' show Finding Your Roots. She even found out the identity of her paternal grandfather, who she had not known before.
