Feb. 8, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- LaTosha Brown, an award-winning civil rights and voting rights activist, will offer the keynote address for this year’s Black History Month program hosted by Grand Rapids Community College’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
The virtual event, free and open to the public, will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 6 p.m. Registration is available via Eventbrite at: tinyurl.com/GRCCequity
A 2019 fellow with the Institute of Politics at Harvard University, Brown is an organizer, philanthropic consultant, and political strategist with over 20 years of experience working in the non-profit and philanthropy sectors on a wide variety of issues related to political empowerment, social justice, economic development, leadership development, wealth creation, and civil rights.
Brown, a native of Selma, Ala., is also the co-founder of Black Voters Matter. This power-building southern-based civic engagement organization was instrumental in the 2017 Alabama U.S. Senate race and the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
“Ms. Brown’s work mirrors the activism of historical titans such as Fannie Lou Hamer, Ida B. Wells, and Dorothy Height,” said Dr. B. Afeni McNeely Cobham, GRCC’s Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer. “Latosha’s commitment to expansive voter access has placed her at the epicenter of what some have defined as restrictive election reforms. The keynote address will explore the importance and impact of staying engaged in the democratic process of voting at every level.”
As a catalyst for change, thought leader and social strategist, Brown’s national and global efforts have been known to organize, inspire and catapult people into action.
In 2021, Glamour magazine recognized Brown in the ‘Women of the Year’ issue for her contribution to protect democracy. In previous years, she has received the White House Champion of Change Award, Spirit of Democracy Award, and the Louis Burnham Award for Human Rights.