History in the Making: Queen Porsha Brown
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This month, YouthLink is celebrating Black History Month by showcasing some of the amazing women in our community.
Hi, my name is: Queen Porsha
I identify as: Black Royalty, but since America doesn’t always recognize that as a category then I guess you can say that I am a black female.
What I do at YouthLink:
I am the Minor GA (General Assistance) case manager at YouthLink. I am responsible for connecting young people to county benefits if they are no longer in a home with their parent or guardian. Along with connecting them to county services, I try to get them to connect with/engage them in services that would help them succeed while they are in high school. Although [youth under the age of 18 are] the group that I am “specialized” to work with, that does not stop me from working with young people over the age of 18.
What does being a woman of color/black woman mean to you?
Being a black woman means that I am responsible for helping and teaching the upcoming generation. I believe in the “each one teach one” model of mentoring. I choose to use my life and experiences as a way to show young people that anything is possible if you put forth the effort. The black woman has been the person to hold together the family since the beginning of time. So, for me, I believe my job as a black woman is to strengthen and encourage the people that I work with, especially the black youth—and more specifically the black women.
Being a black woman also means being a radiant spirit that lights up a room and people don’t always know why or how it is, but they can acknowledge that there is something special about me.
Black History Month means to me:
Black History Month is every single day to me, but more importantly [the month is about] showcasing the contributions and talents of black people. I think people fail to realize that black people are simply amazing, because for so long we were not given the proper recognition. So my goal is to bring knowledge to the young people that I serve, as well as the staff.
What I would like for my community to know is:
I would like my community to know that this is only the beginning for Queen Porsha. I am aiming for the stars: I’m in graduate school with plans to get my doctorate—and not [just] for me to look good, but to be a proper representation of my community and show young black people from our impoverished community that anything is possible to those that believe.