Karen Brown was disheartened to learn that more than 600 public housing units were to be demolished in her hometown of Paterson, New Jersey. As both a former beneficiary of public housing and a victim of its notorious poor management, she witnessed firsthand the rights of communities in public housing being ignored.

Instead of standing by and watching her community fall apart around her, Karen decided to take action.

In 1998, Karen served as an Equal Justice Works Fellow at Passaic County Legal Aid Society.

Throughout her tenure as a Fellow, Karen worked as a community lawyer for low-income tenants whose homes faced demolition. Her project provided extensive legal services to the poor, elderly and the disabled to help them cope with the mass upheaval and disarray caused by the Paterson Housing Authority's decision to demolish. She believed that by learning to organize within their own community, these disenfranchised individuals could empower themselves.

Karen helped tenants organize into community groups and organizations to ensure they had continued access to decent, safe and affordable housing, adequate relocation and social services. Her project gave public housing tenants an opportunity to develop the necessary skills to allow them to respond effectively to housing issues, and to develop relationships with local officials and social service providers to consult for help.

Karen went on to become the first African American Assistant County Counsel in Passaic. In November 2004 she ran for Passaic County Clerk. She won.

Karen Brown
1998 Equal Justice Works Fellow
Passaic County Legal Aid Society – Tenant Rights Work, Paterson, NJ
Sponsor: AT&T Wireless
Rutgers University School of Law, Newark, 1998