Edina Brown
About Edina Brown
Edina Brown is a leader and advocate for positive change, with a passion to help marginalized communities thrive. In her previous role as the only minority voice on her town council, she advocated for responsible language and fair treatment of community members of color along with promoting transparency and best practices for each and every constituent. For over 15 years she has been committing her time and resources to engaging communities and advocating for effective mental health policies and programs for adults and children through NAMI New Jersey; increasing access to resources that will improve the lives of foster children through CASA of Middlesex; and mentoring youth to gain entrepreneurial skills and opportunities through Jobs for America's Graduates, and other people-first organizations. In 2016 she wrote Make Humanity Great Again and self-released it in 2017, as a guide to building more equitable and effective systems in government, law, and local communities. In 2017, she won a campaign for elected office by a large margin within a very politically partisan town, showing that all politics are local and change starts wherever you are. In the wake of the riots and social unrest in 2020, Edina founded the Old Bridge Coalition for Equality to create more understanding around culture, race, and religion. She also serves as co-chair of the Middlesex Black & Jewish Coalition, where she leads and develops programs and events to support Black and Jewish communities in New Jersey. She also reviews and supports legislation and social betterment initiatives, while creating and maintaining partnerships with elected officials and community leaders to advocate for policies that will improve the quality of life for people of all backgrounds. To deepen the impact of her work, she writes op-eds to create awareness around important issues, and mentors women who are running for office or considering it. Edina's deep understanding of policy and community engagement combined with her background in business, lends to her rich understanding of how to strategize and collaborate to improve outcomes for women and marginalized people.