Meet Dawn L. Brown

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dawn L. Brown. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Dawn L. with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

My work ethic comes from the women who raised me. My lineage is one of women caring for their families while also supporting their communities, They worked hard, even when they were tired and they listened to God for direction. My paternal grandmother was a maid and a social justice activist, successfully fighting to establish the first Black school and starting an NAACP chapter in her small town. She grew up in a time when the odds were stacked against her but she did all of this while being a wife and raising ten children. My maternal grandmother would bake cakes and sell them out of her home. She was grandmother to the entire neighborhood. She always She never judged people. Although we lived in a housing project during the 80’s in Washington, DC and drug addiction ran rampant in the community, she always led with humanity. It was normal to come home from school and see every young child in the neighborhood sitting on the living room floor, watching cartoons while eating a sandwich. When the children whose mothers were addicted to drugs needed food or clothes, she fed them and gave them my old clothes to wear. I remember getting upset about it one day and she pulled me aside and, “you have other clothes. Stop being selfish. To whom much is given, much is expected.” That stayed with me. She did all of that while caring for her husband and raising 8 children, one of whom she adopted. I watched my mom work 2-3 jobs to make sure I had what I needed and most of what I wanted.

I carry the spirit of these women in my blood. They cleared the way to make my life so much easier. My load is light compared to the challenges they faced as Black women living in Lynchburg, VA and Grasonville, MD in the 1930’s and 40’s. It is my responsibility and their legacy that inspire my work ethic. Do I have a ridiculous workload? Absolutely! Do I need to rest more? Of course. But when I think about the commitments that they have made in order for me to live this life, I know that I am blessed and it inspires me to keep going. The work I do is so much bigger than me. I understand that and I am humbled by it every day. My ancestors inspire me to want to do everything I can to make a difference in the world.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am honored to serve as the President & CEO of EmpowHer Institute, an LA-based nonprofit organization on a mission to empower girls and young women from marginalized communities in Los Angeles by helping them embrace the power of their voices, achieve academic success, and become confident and career-ready leaders in their communities. Our work is rooted in the belief that when you equip a girl with the right skills, resources, support, and opportunities, you are not just positively impacting the trajectory of her future—you are impacting the future of generations to come.

What excites me most about leading EmpowHer is seeing the transformational power of mentorship, education, and sisterhood come to life. Every day, we create spaces where girls are seen, heard, and celebrated. Whether it’s through our in-school programs, out-of-school enrichment, Summer programs, mentorship connections, or our annual Girls to Greatness Teen Summit, we are intentional about building the skills and confidence young women need to not just dream, but to achieve.

We are particularly proud of the continued growth of our innovative programming, which equips girls with the skills and confidence to lead on both local and global stages. Our Social Justice STEAM Camp has become a cornerstone experience, providing girls from economically insecure communities an immersive learning experience that deeply engages them in marine science, technology, and the arts through the critical lens of environmental justice, equity and advocacy. The girls are encouraged to explore while acquiring new skills and obtaining certifications in scuba diving and sailing. Building on this foundation, we are introducing a new capstone opportunity: a leadership and cultural immersion intensive in French Polynesia where our girls with scuba diving certifications will study the health of coral reefs alongside scientists and the French Polynesian community. This experience will provide a select group of our EmpowHer future scientists with hands-on learning and global leadership development, further reinforcing their roles as empowered citizens and future change makers and disruptors.

Our brand is about resilience, leadership, and possibility. At EmpowHer, we don’t just prepare girls for the future—we help them create it. I am beyond grateful to lead this work and excited to invite more people to join us in building a world where every girl has the opportunity to rise.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are vision, resilience, and advocacy.

Having a clear vision — whether it was quadrupling the size of EmpowHer Institute, launching new initiatives like our Social Justice STEAM Camp, or creating national expansion plans — has been essential. It’s one thing to have ideas, but it’s another to move intentionally toward building something lasting. Resilience has been just as important. In nonprofit leadership, advocacy work, and even as a performing artist, there have been inevitable challenges. But staying grounded, flexible, and committed to the mission has allowed me to push through and keep evolving. And lastly, advocacy — lifting my voice and empowering others to lift theirs — has been the thread through every chapter of my career, whether fighting to end the shackling of pregnant women or working to eliminate gender bias in juvenile justice.

For those early in their journey, I would say:

Lead with a bold vision. Don’t be afraid to imagine something bigger than what you see today.

Build your resilience. The obstacles aren’t a sign to stop — they’re invitations to rise.

Be an advocate, not just for yourself but for others. Remember, your role is to be a thought leader and partner to your community. In that spirit, you must know when to step back and provide a platform for communities most impacted by the issues you are advocating for to speak on their own behalf. Real change happens when you bring others with you.

Your path will have twists and turns, but with heart, hard work, and a clear sense of purpose, you’ll get exactly where you’re meant to go.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

I lead a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to serving girls and women from marginalized communities. The current socio-political environment has made it difficult to do our work effectively. It feels like everything we do and everything we believe in is under attack. There are days when I am overwhelmed with emotion over the fear of our future and our ability to continue serving our girls. We do such amazing and groundbreaking work and our results are undeniable. Our girls are thriving. They are having experiences that not otherwise not be afforded to them. All of that is now being threatened.

I am working with my team and my board to strategize and make adjustments. Seek other funding resources and determine where we can make the necessary program cuts in order sustain our work long term. Ultimately, we need the community to wrap their arms around us and financially invest in EmpowHer Institute and the community of 1,051 girls and gender expansive youth, 500 families, 300 volunteers, and 150 community leaders we serve annually. In addition to donations and grants, we need introductions to influential people as well.

I grew up in a community where even in the hardest of times we came together and lifted one another. Even when folks had little, they still contributed to help others with less. I truly believe that is the only way we are going to get through this time..

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Image Credits

Photographs Provided by EmpowHer Institute

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