Speaker’s Bio for Michelle Elizabeth Brown
Phone (248)782-6848 – Email [email protected]
One word to describe public speaker, author, and activist Michelle Elizabeth Brown is force. Born and raised in Detroit for decades, through her career, creative endeavors, and volunteer work, she has used her strength to assist, inspire, and move people and organizations to be the best they can be. Mixed with her desire to help others she also finds her dedication to uplifting those often left on the fringe of society: women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, for example.
For 15 years, Michelle has worked as a consultant to small businesses, non-profit organizations, and individuals in the areas of accounting, business management, and marketing.
The force within Michelle is her voice, and as a public speaker and activist, she has used her voice to educate, inform, and uplift diverse groups of people in a variety of arenas. She was one of the speakers at the 2017 Women’s March in Ann Arbor, MI and returned in 2018 as the main speaker at Ann Arbor’s Women’s March.
As a guest lecturer in the role of artist/activist at universities, various pride celebrations, and social justice forums, and with hosting her national weekly internet radio show “Collections by Michelle Brown”, Michelle consistently illustrates the need to build up all individuals within a community in order to strengthen the entire community.
Within all the work Michelle does, at the heart of is her love of helping those on the fringes of society. She has represented organizations in progressive and LGBT collectives. Michelle developed a reintegration/training program for women at risk (victims of domestic violence, homelessness, substance abuse, etc.) to help them develop life skills. And while working with a nonprofit housing corporation, she planned and developed affordable housing projects in urban areas. Michelle has a dedication to helping community, individuals and organizations, develop, grow, and use their own unique force. She has served on the board of directors of the Ruth Ellis Center, Affirmations, National Black Justice Coalition, and Michigan Equality. She also served on the Board of Governors of the Human Rights Campaign and cochaired the organizations National Diversity Committee. She served as Executive Director of the Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corp. and Co-Executive Director with Julie Nemecek of Michigan Equality prior to its merger with The Triangle Foundation.
Michelle uses the force of her words as a writer for area newspapers, including as a regular columnist for Between the Lines newspaper. She has written two books of poetry and a children’s book.
Michelle’s force is also found within her desire to give. She has volunteered for many organizations assisting those who often go unheard in society. She is on the board of directors for several organizations. Social injustice, diversity, fairness for women, youth, and people of color are areas receiving a great deal of her time and effort.
In the last 10 years, Michelle has been recognized and awarded for the work she does within the community. Both the National Congress of Black Women (Oakland County, MI) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (Saginaw, MI) recognized her in 2016, and others have awarded her for her tireless work to support, inspire, and elevate people and communities including:
The G-List Black LGBTQ Influencer -2015
Esteem Award Outstanding Blog Radio Can We Talk For Real – 2014
Esteem Award Outstanding Service Female – National, 2012
Inductee Who’s Who in Black Detroit, 2011
OUT Magazine Hidden 100 LGBT POC Leaders, 2011
Media Award – Michigan Annual Pride Banquet, 2007
Award of Merit National Poetry Society, 2007
Triangle Foundation Catalyst Award, 2005
Spirit of Detroit Award, 2005
Diversity Outreach Award – Human Rights Campaign, 2004-2006