Jamila Aisha Brown is an activist, communicatior, adjunct professor, and founder of HUE a social entrepreneurship that provides communications training, strategy, and capacity building to human rights organizations and social justice movements throught the African diaspora.
Jamila recognizes the power of storytelling – especially the traditions of griots who carry the histories and cultures of Black communities worldwide. This career path found Jamila by happenstance.
Originally, she thought her studies of international relations would lead her to become the ambassador to Panama. But because she was always the youngest person in the room her international development colleagues looked to her to handle social media posts. It was then that Jamila discovered her natural talent for digital and traditional communications.While pursuing a master’s degree in International Service, finally acquiesed to a career in communications when the development organization in Honduras she was writing her thesis about aske her to create a Facebook page.Working in digital communications and human rights campaigning helped Jamila realize that the internet made the world a smaller and more interconnected place.
It gives us the ability to communicate and share stories across borders. It serves as a counter to neoliberal-corporate focused globalization whose policis and practices often exploit vulnerable communities and the planet. Jamila’s work digital tools can be used to amplify movements.
I work with organizations and movements to shape their stories, craft their narratives, and amplify their voices. I act as a bridge between the glocal north and south and aim to move resources and educate people into allyship. And tap into and center indigenous knowledge with glocal crises like climate chaos.
This storytelling has taken on different forms especially with new media tools and technology to reach out to multiple audiences. Everyone has a voice. The idea that we’re giving a voice to voiceless is false. We must amplify the voices of that have always been there, but we have long ignored.
