We caught up with the brilliant and insightful David Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
David , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with important influences in our lives. Is there a historical figure you look up to?
I have a deep reverence for Malcolm X. I appreciate the fact that he was far from perfect, committed crimes that led to his imprisonment and was able to turn his life around for the greater good of his community and the people he represented. That takes a monumental amount of discipline and hardships. I found his vocabulary to be exceptional. Something that he taught himself by copying pages out of the dictionary while he was locked away in prison. His dedication and willingness to sacrifice his life for what he believed in has set the tone for me in my constant pursuit to serve my community while creating positive outlets for all.
David , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a first-generation high school and college graduate, a proud husband and father of four. After graduating from college, I became a full-time entrepreneur and community activist. I love giving back to the community that helped raise me and turned me into the man I am today. I’ve hosted several backpack giveaways, fundraisers to raise money for the homeless as well as emergency shelters. My most memorable community service act was when I sponsored my former high school boys varsity basketball team by buying shoes for the entire team.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in business administration, a master’s in business administration with a focus in public administration and I am currently working on a doctorate in business administration specializing in leadership.
I ran for Harris County Department of Education School Trustee At-Large, Position 7. Thanks to the support of family, friends and the community, I was able to win my election with over 840,000 votes. The position is an At-Large position meaning I represent the entire Harris County. I began my term in January 2021 with the term ending December 2026.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
During my run for election, I must have campaigned for about a year and a half before Election Day. Just about every morning before I get ready for the day, I look out the window to see what’s going on in the neighborhood, what the weather is like and to get an idea of how things are going. In doing so, I noticed my car was not in the driveway of my home. I tell my wife calmly, my car is not in the driveway and she responded for me to stop playing games but again, I tell her my car is not in the driveway and she asked me why weren’t I panicking and I simply said my car is not in the driveway what do you want me to do? So here I am, the day before election with my car stolen right out of my driveway. I had 10,000 campaign flyers in the trunk of my car. I planned on working election sites all over Harris County asking people for their support and vote but my car was stolen with all my campaign material. Instead, my day was spent in my home. I did not panic. I stayed calm and said if this is for me, it will be for me. I’ve put in a lot of work to get to this point. I was able to win my election with over 840,000 votes, everything had worked out. I truly believe it was because of how much work I put in prior to election day and God.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Rich Dad Poor Dad Who Says You Can’t You Do
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
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