The mission of the Barbara Jean Brown Foundation is to disrupt

the cycle of recidivism, mental health hospitalization, and poverty

through individual empowerment and self-sufficiency.  We

empower and uplift men, women, boys and girls, providing them

with resources, support, and opportunities to thrive.

 

By addressing systemic barriers and celebrating the unique

contributions of people of color, the foundation seeks to inspire

positive change and ensure a brighter future for the communities it serves.

​

Barbara Brown was an African American woman who moved from Wisconsin to Tacoma, Washington, where she found herself a single mother raising eight children. In 1957, she married Leo Brown, a single father with six children. They became a of family of fourteen and committed themselves to a life of service in Tacoma and its surrounding communities.

​

Barbara understood the strength required to endure and fight against oppression. She knew the resilience and resourcefulness needed to overcome poverty. She had the perseverance to push past those who said a black woman could never organize or own anything of real value. And in her final years, as she battled her fifth bout with breast cancer, she was brave enough to be present in the world when her body was giving way. Her determination came at a cost, but she worked to create equitable spaces for marginalized people to have a voice and exercise self-determination.

​

Barbara’s legacy continues in the Barbara Jean Brown Foundation, which is now run by her children and grandchildren. We are well acquainted with the racial stresses and cultural dynamics that affect marginalized people in Washington, and we are well equipped to serve this community. We are an African-American-run organization fully– 100% of our board are people of color.