A Camden resident motivates peers to enter the political process
As Sean Brown works to line up a job after graduation, he’s also working to help others find employment as well as their political voice, particularly those from where he spent the majority of his own life: Camden.
The Rutgers–Camden urban studies major founded the Young Urban Leaders (YUL) organization to introduce more Camden residents to the political process, and to encourage new ways of thinking and, maybe one day, new leadership.
“A lot of young people don’t know about government and the business world. There’s a leadership deficit. We introduce people to good practitioners already in the field and help members reach their goals, whatever they are,” notes Sean of his organization that has about 20 members and an email distribution list in the hundreds.
“We also talk about the fundamentals of government, how a bill becomes a law, basic leadership skills, even how to write and complete a budget. Things you would want those getting leadership positions to know,” says the 27-year-old. Sean knows a thing or two about managing budgets: as Rutgers–Camden student government vice president he oversaw budget of approximately $200,000.
An extremely active undergraduate, Sean also serves as a trustee for CamConnect, a non-profit that provides data and analysis on Camden, and most recently, a voting member of the Camden School Board. Before attending Rutgers–Camden he served for years as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Camden and New Orleans.
“I’m involved in a lot of things, but YUL is my favorite project,” notes Sean, who organizes monthly meetings and guest lectures, writes e-letters with job tips and inspirational advice, and posts meetings and discussions on YouTube for members who can’t attend.
On his blog dedicated specifically for young Camden residents, Sean offers some guidelines to spur political involvement and positive change: “There is an African proverb, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.’ You must have a group of people to work with. Join people that agree with you or organize a group of people with common concerns.”
Eventually, Sean would like to expand the group by securing funding to offer more in-depth training and more guest speakers. Another offering he’d like to add is free tutorials for graduate school exams, a service he says is in demand.
“What people really want to learn about is getting into grad school, but they can’t afford the classes to prepare for the GRE. I want to help them get a better support system to get to the next level,” he says.
Sean is working to get himself to the next level, too. He’s planning to start a graduate public policy program this fall. In life and on his blog, Sean shares his personal experiences openly to motivate others.
“I hope that my experiences can encourage an entire generation to get involved in the smartest and most effective ways.”
Media Contact: Cathy K. Donovan
(856) 225-6627
E-mail: catkarm@camden.rutgers.edu