She has taken the helm of this working-class city known widely for being the home of a large number of hip hop groups, rappers and athletes. It is also known for being an epicenter of gangs and drug activity. Brown is seeking to change its image.
Elected in June 2013, the 31-year-old Brown has lamented the lack of stores that sell fresh produce and she organized a farmers’ market in Compton. In addition, she’s working to attract new businesses across a wide spectrum of industries. She said she has been particularly fascinated with the revitalization of Brooklyn, adding that she looks at the New York City borough as the source of a number of ideas for Compton.
“I have a 12-point plan that is organized by different initiatives, from youth development, infrastructure, working with educational coalitions and economic development,” Brown said, in an interview with BET.com.
“Compton has so many things that have to be put into place policy-wise,” she said. “In the last seven months, we’ve implemented a capital improvement plan. We’ve also implemented controls to make sure that our finances are stable and that we expend less money than we bring in.”
The daughter of a single mother who raised her and her twin brother, Brown grew up in Altadena, California, and became involved in public service while a student at the University of Southern California. She worked as an economic development analyst with the city of Gardena and, shortly after, graduated with a degree in public policy and urban planning and development in 2004.