Alliance Alert: Two years ago to the day, our movement lost one of our most cherished and most influential leaders, Celia Brown. Celia was a very kind, devoted, determined and humble leader who led the way in the advancement of rights-based advocacy, peer support, trauma informed approaches, cultural competence and humility, peer specialist roles and numerous efforts to combat racism and discrimination. She was a long-time leader in the consumer/survivor/ex-patient movement who was introduced to the civil rights movement early in her childhood by her family’s experience and role in the struggle. See statements from Mad in America and from a number of Celia’s devoted friends and colleagues via a tribute shared by the Alliance for Rights and Recovery.
Accordingly, the Center for Practice Innovations has created a very moving and appropriate way to honor Celia’s memory with the creation of the Celia Brown Youth and Young Adult Legacy Leadership Award. “Our hope is to center the leadership and meaningful partnership of young people in the community, “ said CPI’s Director of Crisis Systems Training Initiative Chacku Mathi, who fittingly was awarded with the Alliance for Rights and Recovery’s 2023 Celia Brown Justice for All Champion Award. See below for more details.
CPI Announces Creation of the Celia Brown Legacy Leadership Award
The Center for Practice Innovations, is proud to announce the Celia Brown Youth and Young Adult Legacy Leadership Award. Celia Brown was a psychiatric survivor and long-time advocate for people with psychiatric disabilities who died on December 11, 2022.
In memory and honor of Celia Brown’s legacy of global impact, two (2) monetary awards of $2500 will be offered annually on her birthday, August 11. The awards will support the efforts of youth (between the ages of 16-20) and young adults (between the ages of 21-30), from New York State who want to or are working towards behavioral health equity and wellness in their communities. Our hope is to center the leadership and meaningful partnership of young people in the community.
What can the award recipients expect from the Center for Practice Innovations?
- An award of $2500 to support your project
- Regular connection with a CPI liaison and our team about the project for up to one year
- Connections to mentors and collaborators to leverage support and capacity for the project
- Ongoing support for professional development, e.g. references, recommendations
- Assistance with dissemination of project outcome
Please share the flyer and information about this award and help us lift up the leadership and partnership of young people across New York State.
Click here for more information on applying for the Celia Brown Youth and Young Adult Legacy Leadership Award.
More about Celia Brown
Celia Brown was a psychiatric survivor and long-time advocate for people with psychiatric disabilities. She was the President of MindFreedom International, and she co-founded Surviving Race: The Intersection of Race, Disability and Human Rights Coalition. She was a Regional Advocacy Specialist for the Bureau of Recipient Affairs at the NYC Field Office of the New York State Office of Mental Health for many years. Celia facilitated training on peer supervision, wellness, and recovery approaches in community mental health agencies. She was one of the first Peer Specialists in New York State and was instrumental in developing and implementing the Peer Specialist Civil Service title for the New York State Office of Mental Health.
A field school graduate of the Center to Study Recovery in Social Contexts, Celia was a member of the Advisory committee for the Center for Practice Innovations. Celia served on NARPA’s board of directors for many years. She was a founder of the International Network Toward Alternatives and Recovery (INTAR). She has presented nationally and internationally on topics such as self-help, peer counseling, advocacy, trauma and cultural competency.