Austin Channing Brown
Austin Channing Brown: A Voice for Racial Justice and Faith
Full Name and Common Aliases
Austin Channing Brown is a writer, speaker, and advocate for racial justice and faith.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on February 23, 1986 (still alive)
Nationality and Profession(s)
American; Writer, Speaker, Advocate for Racial Justice and Faith
Austin Channing Brown's work bridges the gap between spirituality and social justice. She is a prominent voice in modern Christianity, addressing issues of racism, diversity, and inclusion.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Austin Channing Brown was exposed to the harsh realities of racism from an early age. Her experiences as a black woman in predominantly white spaces shaped her perspective on faith and social justice. She attended Calvin College and later earned her Master's degree in Spiritual Direction from Seattle University.
Major Accomplishments
Austin Channing Brown has made significant contributions to the conversation around racial justice and faith:
Author: Her memoir, "I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness," published in 2018, offers a searing critique of racism within the church. The book explores her experiences with microaggressions, stereotypes, and outright hostility from well-meaning but clueless white people.
Speaker: As a sought-after speaker, she has shared her story and insights on stages across the country, including conferences, churches, and universities.
Advocate: Through her writing and speaking, Austin Channing Brown advocates for greater diversity and inclusion within faith communities. She challenges readers to confront their own biases and privilege.Notable Works or Actions
Some of her notable works include:
1. "I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness," (2018) - This memoir is a poignant exploration of racism within the church.
2. Speaking engagements, including conferences, churches, and universities across the country
3. Advocacy work, challenging readers to confront their own biases and privilege
Impact and Legacy
Austin Channing Brown's impact on the conversation around racial justice and faith is undeniable:
She has helped to create a space for marginalized voices within the church.
Her writing and speaking have inspired countless individuals to engage in conversations about racism, diversity, and inclusion.
She continues to be a powerful advocate for greater representation and inclusivity.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Austin Channing Brown is widely quoted or remembered because of her:
1. Authentic voice: Her experiences as a black woman in predominantly white spaces give her a unique perspective on faith and social justice.
2. Courageous storytelling: She has shared her story with honesty and vulnerability, inspiring others to do the same.
3. Unwavering commitment to advocating for greater diversity and inclusion within faith communities
Quotes by Austin Channing Brown
Whiteness wants us to be empty, malleable, so that it can shape Blackness into whatever is necessary for the white organization’s own success. It sees potential, possibility, a future where Black people could share some of the benefits of whiteness if only we try hard enough to mimic it... Rare is the ministry praying that they would be worthy of the giftedness of Black minds and hearts.
White people need to listen, to pause so that people of color can clearly articulate both the disappointment they’ve endured and what it would take for reparations to be made. Too often, dialogue functions as a stall tactic, allowing white people to believe they’ve done something heroic when the real work is yet to come.
My story is not about condemning white people but about rejecting the assumption – sometimes spoken, sometimes not – that white is right: closer to God, holy, chosen, the epitome of being.
Too often, dialogue functions as a stall tactic, allowing white people to believe they’ve done something heroic when the real work is yet to come.
I look back and see centuries of creative evolution of the hatred for Black bodies. I look at the present – police brutality, racial disparities, backlash against being “politically correct,” hatred for our first Black president, the gutting of the Voting Rights Act, and the election of a chief executive who stoked the fire of racial animosity to win – and I ask myself, Where is your hope, Austin? The answer: It is but a shadow.
Our only change at dismantling racial injustice is being more curious about its origins than we are worried about our comfort. It’s not a comfortable conversation for any of us. It is risky and messy. It is haunting work to recall the sins of our past. But is this not the work we have been called to anyway? Is this not the work of the Holy Spirit to illuminate truth and inspire transformation? It’s haunting. But it’s also holy.
Fortunately, Jesus doesn’t need all white people to get onboard. For me, this is freedom. Freedom to tell the truth. Freedom to create.
When white people stop short of reconciliation, it’s often because they are motivated by a deep need to believe in their own goodness, and for that goodness to be affirmed over and over and over again.
If my feelings do not fit the narrative of white innocence and goodness, the burden of change gets placed on me.
It’s work to be the only person of color in an organization, bearing the weight of all your white co-workers questions about Blackness. It’s work to always be hypervisible because of your skim – easily identified as being present or absent – but for your needs to be completely invisible to those around you. It’s work to do the emotional labor or pointing out problematic racist thinking, policies, actions, and statements while desperately trying to avoid bitterness and cynicism.