Memories of Claudine Brown
Submitted by Monica on March 25, 2016
Since the passing of Claudine Brown, others who knew her have shared memories of Brown as an inspirational leader and arts advocate.
From The Nathan Cummings Foundation:
For more than a decade, she supported the achievements of community-based arts practitioners, brokered relationships between artists and activists, and encouraged the growth and transformation of this field.
She worked with her colleagues within the Foundation and outside its walls to break down silos, and build coalitions amongst even the most unlikely of allies. The result was and is a more robust and informed community.
From former Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, a founder of Arts & Democracy, as quoted in the Daily Yonder:
Whether the subject was access and inclusivity in regards to museums or the importance of remembering and celebrating all cultures, she was one of our national leaders and beacon of hope during especially hard times.
From Dawoud Bey, writing for Black Art in America:
In all of her work, she labored tirelessly--through the creation of policies and programs--to make the art/culture/educational experience one that was accessible to all... I was quietly in awe of Claudine Brown, and told her so.
From Judith Jennings, founding member of the Art x Culture x Social Network
Claudine promoted cross-sector funding before we knew to call it that. She convened us at the Council on Foundations and hosted meetings with social justice funders who weren’t so sure why arts and culture matter. She practiced inclusion before we had a name for that, too.