Hired by a wealthy, predominantly white K-12 school district, Kimberly Brazwell was the district's first diversity practitioner. As a school administrator, she was charged to engage the district's students, faculty, staff, and surrounding community in wellness and shaping a more inclusive culture. Kim was charged to deepen the color of a community. However, no one knew exactly what hue it should be. Kim boldly advocates for social justice in a once "redlined" community that, for the first time, grudgingly examines and openly discusses its history of race and class bias. As a biracial woman who unapologetically identifies with her black culture and poverty roots, Kim's task proves to be one of the most troublesome personal and professional challenges of her life. What begins as a welcoming invitation into the next chapter of her career putrefies into implicit, bias-triggered workplace bullying. Rather than engage and enlighten those around her, Kim experiences the anguish of an activist fighting against racism and the hidden culture of power and control in suburban America. However, Kim's fight and uphill struggle is in isolation. In the end, Kim must re-examine her personal identity as a young, female, biracial activist who is meant to reshape a culture. Browning Pleasantville is about a predominantly white institution's reaction to the "browning" of its attitudes, interests, and motives toward the diverse groups of people within its care-including its newly hired administrator who must decide whether to remain an activist or become a "token" within an unchanged community.
About the Author: Over 15 years of passionate service through social justice advocacy has made Kimberly Brazwell a highly-requested speaker and dialogue facilitator for engagements ranging from training workshops to keynotes around the globe. Kimberly is a diversity practitioner who designs trauma-informed experiential workshops. Her programs aid in reshaping organizational perspective on "fit", engagement, and cultural code-switching. Kimberly founded KiMISTRY, a consulting firm that coaches organizations on how to let their people be who they are where they are. With a master's degree in educational policy and leadership from The Ohio State University, Kimberly's unique approach to diversity work applies the practice of mindfulness to implicit de-bias work. Her drive stems from her own biracial identity and rich diversity in race, religion, language, sexual orientation and class identity. After attending six high schools, Kimberly went on to graduate from both college and graduate school at an early age. She has worked in education-both K-12 and higher education-for over 15 years. In addition to leading KiMISTRY, she serves as the executive director for a nonprofit community development corporation in Columbus, Ohio. Outside of social justice work, Brazwell is also a visual practitioner, writer, performing artist and blessed mother of two daughters.