He began his life in Jamaica, attended college in Montreal and found a place to call home when he arrived in Vermont for graduate study at St. Michael's College. Since then Patrick Brown has been deemed a Burlington "legendary local" for his many contributions to building community and advancing social justice in Vermont's Queen City.
On November 7 we were pleased to host Patrick Brown as our guest speaker to hear about his life's journey and the ways he has created connection and brought important voices to our area. His varied professional activities have included working for Digital Equipment Corp., opening and operating the Caribbean Corner restaurant, teaching courses at UVM and organizing for 32 years Burlington's Martin Luther King Day program. He has brought to Burlington a host of nationally recognized speakers, including Anita Hill, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Cicely Tyson. He has also served on the boards of Burlington College, the Fletcher Free Library and the Vermont State Board of Education. He is currently a trustee of St. Michael's College, from which he holds an honorary doctorate.
He encouraged us to remain focused on lifting up those in need, noting improvements don't just lie in the hands of government, but in the hands of all of us.
An interesting profile of Patrick Brown published by his undergraduate alma mater can be read here: https://www.concordia.ca/cunews/offices/advancement/2024/10/21/how-alumnus-patrick-brown-became-a-pillar-of-burlington-vermont.html
To see and hear the Patrick's talk with our Rotary club, go to: https://youtu.be/m8NnwS_D2kY