The MIT Sidney Pacific Presidential Fellows Distinguished Lecture is happy to host "We The People!: Building a More Equitable, Just and Inclusive America'' by LaTosha Brown!

RSVP Required: http://tinyurl.com/MIT-CoSI-Brown

America’s political landscape is shifting in ways that threaten democracy. We are currently witnessing: the shifting of the perception and function of the Executive Branch, the increasing over-reach of Presidential powers, the politicization of the Supreme Court, the intentional reduction of the role of federal agencies in state oversight, an increased polarized Congress based along party lines, and the stacking of the federal courts with conservative ring-wing judges. What is the role of citizens in protecting and creating democracy during this political moment? We are bearing witness to the passage and implementation of deeply troubling policies, state-sanctioned acts, and legislation that impact the civil and human rights of immigrant groups, women, people of color and the LGBTQ community. In light of these political changes, we must ask ourselves several critical questions: 1.) How do we implement innovative practices and new political organizing models to reverse this trend? 2.) How do we reinforce and expand America’s commitment to democracy? 3.) How does the lack of civil discourse between people from various backgrounds and different political ideologies impact the future of democracy in America? And most importantly, 4.) what is our individual responsibility to protect democracy during this political era?

LaTosha Brown is an award-winning organizer, philanthropic consultant, political strategist and jazz singer with over twenty 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. She is the co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, a power building southern-based civic engagement organization that played an instrumental role in the 2017 Alabama U.S. Senate race. Ms. Brown is the principal owner of TruthSpeaks Consulting, Inc., a philanthropy advisory consulting firm in Atlanta, GA. For more than 25 years, she has served as a consultant and advisor for individual donors, government, public foundations, and private donors. Throughout her career, Ms. Brown has distinguished herself as a trusted expert and resource in political strategy, rural development and special programming for a number of national and regional philanthropies. She is the founding project director of Grantmakers for Southern Progress.