Growing up in Ingersoll Houses, Ed Brown developed a great passion for the community. He regarded it as “one big family.” There were times when Ed strayed off course, but was fortunate to have mentors in his life who steered him away from violence. With what he had experienced, Ed learned that the best path to economic stability was to create an infrastructure of support. He believes that, “when a community is economically stable, violence tends to decline.” As a way to pay it forward to show respect for those who came before him and whose shoulders he stands upon, Ed started his career of providing employment for those in need.

By utilizing his community, business, and social media, he finds people in need of jobs, trains them, and helps them establish a sense of responsibility. However, this came with some challenges: finding the right job for the right person and encouraging local businesses to give young people an opportunity to express their abilities. When Covid-19 erupted, not only did it increase the difficulty of the job itself, but Ed’s personal life was also significantly impacted. Even though these events brought on more responsibility, Ed kept an open mind. He took care of his family and continued to serve his community with determination and passion. 

Although the path might be tough along the way, it was all worth it “when people come up to me and just acknowledge their family benefitted from an employment opportunity I’ve given them.” said Ed.