Today we’d like to introduce you to Briana Brown.
Briana is a New York native who’s spent the past five years in Connecticut, Alabama, and South Florida. Her passion for advocating for the under-represented was nurtured by her involvement in the NAACP (National Association for Advancement of Colored People) and Alpha Omega Epsilon Inc (Engineering and Technical Science Sorority). Having benefited from the guidance of mentors and as the recipient of numerous scholarships, she hopes that by offering scholarship opportunities to students in Metro New York and women in South Florida, they will have the tools to pursue their passions as well.
Briana’s professional background is in aviation/aerospace, digital media and technology, continuous improvement, developing talent and event and project management. She holds a Masters of Business Administration from Auburn University and a BS in Applied Math & Statistics and Technological Systems Management with a specialization in Mechanical Engineering from Stony Brook University.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The path for StrongHER Future was easier for us to launch because we had a working blueprint to benchmark. The BNB Foundation is a sister foundation to StrongHER based in New York. While StrongHER had many challenges that were different from BNB, it was easier for us to choose schools, create programming for in person events and leverage over 5+ years of non-profit experience from members on our working board. Our challenges now push us to be more consistent with our communication to scholarship recipients, secure annual funding from our donors and impact as many girls as we can in South Florida who are interested in pursuing a future in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)
Please tell us about StrongHER Future Foundation.
The concept for StrongHER Future Foundation was born in a bowling alley in Broward County. Natalie Costa and I met for the first time at a family reunion. We discovered we were both passionate about providing opportunities to women working in underrepresented industries, like us.
StrongHER Future Foundation provides financial scholarships and professional development opportunities for women who are dedicated to pursuing their education in a STEAM field of study and aim to empower, mentor, and educate them throughout their collegiate and early professional career.
We are so excited to present this scholarship to six deserving young women from Miami-Dade and Broward County. These fields need women, they need your ideas, and your voice. We encourage you to pursue your passions and we’ll be right along side you.
What’s your outlook for the industry in our city?
Ah, Miami… I’ve been back in New York for a little over a month now and it’s given me some time to reflect on my experiences in the 305. I had the privilege of working for The New Tropic, a digital media outlet that connects people all over Miami. The hardest part of starting anything anywhere is knowing the right people. Miami is no different but luckily for my co-founder and me, we were one or two introductions away from “the change-makers” and the people “in the know.” To meet these people you have to become them. Attend networking events, ask questions, and have faith in yourself and the process. Start whatever it is you’re thinking about and the necessary support will always come and in ways, you’d never expect.
Miami IS my second home and I miss it like crazy. I’ll be back at least once a month to support the foundation and visit (in the winter months, for sure).
Contact Info:
- Website: strongherfuture.org
- Email: strongherfuture@gmail.com
- Instagram: @strongherfuture
- Facebook: @strongherfuture
Image Credit:
Al Delcy (Personal Photo), All others – StrongHER Future Foundation
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