Uncrowned Community Builders

My name is Maurice R. Brown and I'm the Political Coordinator for 1199 SEIU UHWE (United Health Care Workers East) I've been in this role for five 5 years. 1199 has 400,000 members across 5 states (New York, New Jersey, Maryland/DC, Massachusetts, Florida) .Before becoming Political Coordinator I was the Member Political Organizer for 1199SEIU for 7 years. 1199SEIU represents Health Care Workers in Nursing Homes & Hospitals servicing Nurses, Techs, Janitorial, Dietary as well as Business Office Clerical members and occasionally Organizing New Union Shops.

My role at the Union as Political Coordinator is to cultivate and train member-activists to organize their communities for Political action on local campaigns. The goal is to create a network of 1199SEIU activists in communities through Churches, Block Clubs, as well as community organizations.

While at 1199SEIU I sat on the Advisory Board for Buffalo Peacemakers, I currently sit on the Area Labor Federation of Labor's Political Action Committee, Executive Board as well as its Diversity Committee. In the past I have sat on the Boards of H.O.M.E (Housing Opportunities Made Equal) CEJ (Coalion for Economic Justice) as well as C.B.T.U (Coalition of Black Trade Unionist).

Joining or sitting on these boards helped me to assists folks every day in our community who want to become change makers, far too often our voices aren't heard because we don't know who to turn to in certain situations. These groups fight for Social and Economic Justice, Living Wage, Fair Housing.
There have been various Political Campaigns, voting drives I have run or worked on, most notable race was 2008 Presidential Election to help elect our first African American President Barack Obama in Cleveland Ohio as well as his re-election in 2012 in Erie Pennsylvania, in which we took van loads of members down to ensure President Obama's second term. We canvased the streets of the residents of Erie PA to stress the importance of the work that the President had begun and why he needed a second term.

Working with our membership with Local Elected Officials shows our members the power of collective action. 1199's member engagement program consists of canvassing, phone banking, sitting on its endorsement committee to make sure we all agree on which candidates will/would best represent our Healthcare Platform (Good Jobs, Quality Healthcare for all, Healthy Planet, Good Education and a Fight For $15).

I'm a loving and devoted family man, Son to Jean Brown, husband to my Wife LaShawn Brown and our wonderful children Destiny, Maurice Jr., Da'Vyne as well as 2 grandchildren H'Yevan & Sharron Jr. My four sibling keep me straight and out of trouble Sheldon Brown, Jerome Brown, Eric Morris and Terrell Morris.