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Brown hopes for director position

Carrie Brown knows what it’s like to be a kid in Canton.

Brown, 40, who is the interim director for the city’s youth development department and looking to take that spot for good, spent 25 years living in what used to be Highland Park (now Skyline Terrace).

At one point in her life, Brown said, she got into the gang scene because of a lack of youth programming in the area.

Carrie Brown

“I’ve seen the gangs and the violence that affected the families and that gives me passion,” she said.

The youth development department, which operates out of the Edward “Peel” Coleman Community Center, 1400 Sherrick Rd. SE, develops an array of youth and family programming and events — including tutoring programs and basketball leagues.

For the past three years, Brown worked with former director James Keys to develop and maintain programming and the center itself. And now she’s looking to go from interim director to director.

According to her resume, Brown coordinated community breakfasts and back to school events among other things.

Brown said as soon as she and Keys first started their new positions they started Project Turnaround. The idea was simple, determine what the department and center needed and get it.

And, if hired, Brown said she will continue under that strategy, driving toward getting more partnerships and programs for the city’s youth.

Making strong partnerships and developing a network of several agencies around the community is the base for improving programming and ultimately helping kids, she said. And that’s what she is planning to do if she lands the job.

“I would love to see a variety of things (programs) that would cover the totality of who a person is or could be,” she said.

Specifically, Brown is planning on putting on community forums throughout the year to educate the community but also get them involved in making the area better.

Brown hasn’t just worked with and for kids in the department though.

In a recommendation letter from Wanda Grubbs, principal at Crenshaw Middle School, Grubbs, praised Brown for her work in a program at Mckinley High School called Lunch and Learn, which Brown conducted through The Prepared Athlete Inc.. Grubbs was a principal at the high school during the time the program took place.

Grubbs wrote:

“As the facilitator of the Lunch and Learn groups, Ms. Brown coached students about more than just how to demonstrate positive character traits in school. She worked to develop students as life-long thinkers. She provided guidance, wisdom, and counsel to our ninth grade students based upon the various challenges they presented.”

Brown said she also works with youth out of state and even out of the country, doing outreach work in places like Florida and sitting on the board for the Phillip Fongod Foundation, a foundation dedicated to fighting childhood HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Brown has earned associate’s degrees in paralegal studies and criminal justice from Brown Mackie College.

  • Jordan Perry

    I think Carrie is the perfect women for the job. Carrie has a heart for the youth of stark county as well as for youth all over the world .I have been knowing carrie for about 7 years and during that time i have never seen her character fualter from the loving caring buisness women she has become. Carries has the best intrest of the center at heart .

  • Dyer

    If you want the job done right with the heart of compassion for urban children and their families, Carrie is the right person for the job. Too many people take on jobs for the wrong reasons, but she will do a great service for the city of Canton and the SE area.

  • SHALLEN from lv,nv

    MS.CARRIE BROWN IS THE BEST PERSON FOR THIS JOB. THIS ISNT JOB TO HER. ITS HER LIFE.HOW SHE WAS RISE UP .AND A VERY GOOD ROLEMODLE SHE TURN OUT TO BE. SHE ALWAYS DID HER BEST WITH HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS.SHE STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM AND WORKED HER WAY UP TO THE VERY TOP.AND HELP OTHERS ON THE WAY AND STILL HELPING OTHERS.THATS A PERSON YOU WANT. HEART AND SOUL AND HAVE THE LOVE FOR EVERYONE AND WHEN SHE TALK TO YOU OR TOUCH YOU ITS TRUE LOVE FROM THE HEART AND WARM AND NOT COLD. YOU CANT GET NOONE BETTER THEN THAT. CANTON FINST MS.CARRIE BROWN.

  • Julietshreve41

    OK Cuz -you can do it-I took a rest from outreach it is in our Blood -good luck and God Bless and he will help you all the way!

  • Lilmommie@aol.com

    I’ve had the pleasure of working with Ms. Carrie Brown for the past year, her dedication to the center, overall, her community is outstanding. This is just not a “job” to her,this is apart of her daily life.Reaching out to the youth, giving guidance is her life. I advise S.E Canton to get ready because if she is chosen to be the Director, theres going to be a obvious turn around with our community… Ms.Brown has a postive influence on our Youth, With strong leadership like this….I’m excited.. :)

  • Dance

    I have done business with Carrie to establish programming in the SE Center with my dance company, and in other situations as well. She has shown herself to be an outstanding business person for me to work with, having a strong work ethic and great communication skills. I am convinced she wants this for the right reasons, and would be the only one for this position. What separates Carrie from other candidates, is she will take the initiative to change what Canton is in need of. I am blessed to work with someone like this

  • Lovealloverme

    Carrie Brown is a very nice person to work with. Iwould like ro see as the director at the Edward Peel Coleman Center. She will get the job done.

  • Shgr218

    Who better for the job, than the person who grew up in the area. Never met Ms. Brown but I would love to see one of Canton’s own show the bureaucrats how a job should be done. You go girl, give ‘em hell!