Michael Brown

Michael Brown co-founded the non-profit organization, City Year, with Alan Khazel. Prior to this he was a legislative aid for Congressman Leon Panetta, and law clerk for Federal Judge Stephen Breyer, who is now a Supreme Court Justice.

About City Year

City Year is a national youth service corps that inspired the development of AmeriCorps, which is the federal investment in national youth service. City Year reduces school dropout rates by engaging 17 to 24 year olds in a full year of national service, primarily in disadvantaged public schools.

This is similar to the urban Peace Corps. Amazingly, through the efforts of Brown and his staff, City Year is attracting public sector support in this time of cutbacks. Brown partnered with Time magazine and managing editor Rick Stengel in championing national service.

The members of City Year work in 20 USA cities as well as Johannesburg, South Africa and London, England. Founded in 1988 while Brown and Khazei were roommates at Harvard Law School, they felt empowered to create a much needed resource that addresses the country’s most pressing issues by using young people as a resource.

When Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf region in 2006, City Year, opened a site in Louisiana, and helped with the recovery. “Here to Serve, Here to Stay” was the Louisiana Corps motto. Over 1,400 youth serve each year as Corps members in the areas of leadership development, civic engagement, and service.

Members of the school partnership teams work in schools providing academic support and after school programs. The curriculum is called “Whole School, Whole Child”

To date City Year has graduated approximately 7,100 alumni while serving over 772,000 children. They have partnered with 360 corporations and 1,140 service organizations. Engaging over 820,000 citizens in service is quite a remarkable feat.

Awards

Among the many accomplishments that Brown has achieved in the service of others is the Reebok Human Rights Award, the Jefferson Award of the American Institute for Public Service, the National Caring Award, the Boston Bar Association's Public Service Award, and four honorary degrees, including doctor of public service from Northeastern University. Michael served as a member of the Harvard Law Review.

As roommates at Harvard Law School, Michael Brown and Alan Khazei spent nights discussing social problems of the country. This led to starting City Year in Boston, Massachusetts after graduation. This choice has resulted in reducing the amount of angry teens and young adults, who feel lost and unable to contribute to society. Instead they have been able to help many out of control kids get back on track with purpose and passion. Click here for the Transforming Child Behavior Home Page.

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