Title
Honoring Maxwell Brown for his longtime dedication to community empowerment and to the mentorship of young men through his Max Out of Life program.
Body
WHEREAS, Maxwell Brown is a Philadelphia native who educates audiences by showing how his years of incarceration were rooted in the decisions he made as a teenager. He then helps them to see how thinking controls your actions, behaviors, and outcomes; and
WHEREAS, Brown had wanted to study criminal justice or juvenile delinquency in college, at the end of his tour of duty as a radioman in the U.S. Navy, until a few moments of anger cost him greatly. That incident resulted in a conviction of third-degree murder and more than a decade spent in prison; and
WHEREAS, While in prison, Brown used the time as an opportunity to learn and to turn his life around. He recognized that for years he had followed a cycle of anger, assault, and denial, effectively blaming others for his own situations leading him to his current circumstances; and
WHEREAS, Upon his release, Brown used his experiences to mentor and teach others. He created It Works for MeTM, a five-step self-awareness program to help teens and young adults make permanent, positive lifestyle changes; and
WHEREAS, Brown continued to serve the Philadelphia community in various ways, recruiting volunteers to work alongside him with troubled youth in schools and recreation programs; and
WHEREAS, Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter asked Brown to serve in the Mayor's Office of Community Services (MOCS), the largest Community Action Agency in Pennsylvania. In this role, Brown brokered collaborative relationships and forged partnerships with other government agencies, community groups, faith-based institutions and universities to help transform neighborhoods, advocate for children, and improve the quality of life for those impacted by poverty; and
WHEREAS, Brown organized GO GREEN, a community service project partnering with the Philadelphia 76ers a...
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