Center For Progressive Leadership

2008 New Leaders Fellows

Kesia Brown

Hometown: New Orleans, Lousiana

Age:

School: Vassar College

Interests:

Placement: National Partnership for Women and Families

Kesia recently graduated from Vassar College, where she received a B.A. in philosophy. During her first two years at Vassar, Kesia helped start a mentoring program called Sistah Power. This program designed and implemented educational programs for pre-teen girls, connecting the female inner city youth in Poughkeepsie with women of color at Vassar. Kesia was also elected the Social and Political Chairperson for the Black Student Union and was the editor of the Vassar College Philosophy Review. Last fall, Kesia presented a paper on the importance of black feminism for an academic panel at her college. She plans to attend law school and pursue a career in civil rights law. Last summer, Kesia interned at the National Partnership for Women and Families. She is now a 2008 New Leaders Fellow and works at the National Partnership for Women and Families.

"A major grassroots movement must be formed in order to untangle the bureaucratic gridlock that politicians have created for various reasons."

- Kesia Brown,
2008 New Leaders Fellow

More about Kesia

What particular experience has contributed to your desire to work with a progressive organization and participate in the New Leaders Program?

Since high school I have been entranced by the political process and have had faith in the power of the people to change the status quo. After Katrina, that faith has been shaken and I hope that the new Leaders Program will ignite it so that bitterness does not stagnate my talents into an inactive and defiant silence. Coming home is always painful. We were lucky and were able to rebuild but feel paralyzed and helpless in regards to contributing to the renewal of our city. There was not much that I could do from my college besides participate in every Katrina, workshop, lecture, or newspaper article that I could. It is not enough when the government on all levels has yet to secure plans for building levees to protect us against another Katrina knowing full well that one could happen again. A major grassroots movement must be formed in order to untangle the bureaucratic gridlock that politicians have created for various reasons.

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