July 1–December 31, 2014
Rachel Brown is the founder and CEO of Sisi ni Amani-Kenya (SNA-K), a Kenyan NGO that pioneered new strategies to build local capacity for peacebuilding and civic engagement, most notably through the creation of a text-messaging model and platform to support local community efforts. After integrating SNA-K’s model and programs into local Kenyan NGOs, she is now exploring key strategies to adapt and apply in other contexts.
Previously Ms. Brown was a tenant-organizing coordinator in Boston, Massachusetts, and a project coordinator for Ushahidi's Tanzania elections monitoring in 2010.
She has a BA in international relations with a focus on global conflict cooperation and justice from Tufts University, where she conducted international research on the relationships between power structures, corruption, violence, and poverty.
Fellowship Project
Ms. Brown has created a guide for practitioners seeking to counter the impact of inflammatory hate speech on its intended audience. Drawing from the fields of political science, communications, marketing, behavioral psychology, and neuropsychology, as well as from historical and peacebuilding examples, the guide sets out key concepts, strategies, and tools for designing speech interventions that are based on sound analysis, clear goals, best practices, and accurate risk assessment.
