Resolution 220123

..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 and the Philadelphia Zoo that drew more than 500 economically dis- advantaged kids to take part in an environment and conservation awareness campaign; and WHEREAS, Brown also works in partnership with the Philadelphia Police department to help create a mutual understanding between youth and police officers. His program allows youths to visit the police training facility to speak with officers, and helps foster positive relations between the police and the young citizens in the community; and WHEREAS, In January 2022, Brown began operating a mentorship program called Max Out of Life. In partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, he will provide mentorship and field experiences to 80 young men within four Comprehensive and Support and Improvement (CSI) schools. CSI Schools are in the bottom 5 percent of Title I schools for all students, or have a graduation rate of 67 percent or lower, and the students are facing the most significant challenges in academic achievement, student growth, and other areas; and WHEREAS, Brown's efforts have helped to provide many Philadelphia residents with resources and information they needed to enter and advance in the workforce, by reaching out to the students who are often overlooked and engaging with them in order to improve their outcomes in life; and WHEREAS, Brown's message of overcoming adversity, adapting to change, and fulfilling potential has inspired countless young men to pursue positive paths and rallied many adult men to become mentors; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby honors Maxwell Brown for his longtime dedication to community empowerment and to the mentorship of young men through his Max Out of Life program. ..End