Richman Fellowship awarded to the Rev. Jeffrey L. Brown
The Rev. Jeffrey L. Brown
The Rev. Jeffrey L. Brown, a prominent Boston community leader and pastor, has been named the 2016-17 Brandeis University Richman Distinguished Fellow in Public Life.
Brown was a co-founder and the longtime leader of the Boston TenPoint Coalition, which works to bring together community stakeholders to cooperatively reduce violence in Boston neighborhoods.
The coalition was founded in 1992 by a small group of Boston clergy troubled by rising gang violence. Over the course of the 1990s, as the coalition implemented a model of social responsibility featuring a variety of programs including gang mediation, the city saw a dramatic reduction in homicides, often referred to as “the Boston Miracle,” with the annual homicide rate reaching a 38-year low in 1999.
“Reverend Brown’s groundbreaking work provides concrete evidence of what can be achieved when committed individuals work together to bridge divides,” said Brandeis University President Ron Liebowitz. “His work shows us the way to a world in which social justice is an active practice, not an abstract concept.”
Since 2013, Brown has worked to replicate the Boston formula in communities all over the world through RECAP (Rebuilding Every Community Around Peace), a national organization he founded that helps neighborhoods align stakeholders in faith-based community, government, and law enforcement agencies to reduce gang violence. Brown has been recognized for his efforts by President Bill Clinton and Senator Elizabeth Warren.
“Reverend Brown’s leadership, strategic ideas and daily actions exemplify a dedication to improving American social life and opportunity for all,” said Jon Chilingerian, associate professor of Human Services Management at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and faculty host for Brown's Richman residency. “His record of accomplishment demonstrates how deep listening, engagement, and alignment of diverse stakeholders can improve the quality of life of all members of a community.” The Richman Fellowship was created by Brandeis alumna Dr. Carol Richman Saivetz '69, along with her children, Michael Saivetz '97 and Aliza Saivetz Glasser '01, in honor of her parents, Fred and Rita Richman.
The fellowship recognizes individuals active in public life whose contributions have had a significant impact on improving American society, strengthening democratic institutions, advancing social justice or increasing opportunities for all citizens. Past winners include artist and social activist Theaster Gates (2015-16), civil rights leader Julian Bond (2014-15) and PolicyLink founder Angela Glover Blackwell (2013-14).
As part of the fellowship, Brown will be in residence at Brandeis University from March 21-23, 2017. The Richman lecture and award ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.
The Richman Fellowship is hosted by the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life on behalf of the Office of the President.
