Myra Brown

Rochester Business Journal Staff//February 10, 2023//

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Myra Brown

Pastor, Spiritus Christi Church

Years in current role: 5

What was your biggest challenge in 2022?

Fighting for Black voting rights to free the Black vote from six incarcerated majority/minority forced coalition voting districts. We overcame the challenge and won 6 Black Majority Voting Districts in Monroe County’s redistricting battle to free the Black vote.

What are your priorities for 2023?

To deepen our pastoral and racial justice work of inclusion in the church and the City of Rochester.
To partner with CDF ( The Children’s Defense Fund) and its cohorts to create a theology of thriving and wellness for Children and youth.
To have the groundbreaking of creating Rochester’s first outdoor Franklin D. Florence Civil Rights Park
To administer the City’s GBI program to marginalized community members through the Black Community Focus Fund Inc.
To contribute to violence reduction and elimination in systems and communities within our city toward the homeless and marginalized.

What advice would you give young professionals in the Rochester business community?

Never allow your voice to be muted about things that matter and always align your espoused values with actions that bring about transformational change regardless of the risk. Believe that justice is winnable and that every Goliath has a David to bring it down and subdue it. Always remember on whose shoulders you stand to glean strength, courage, and purpose because God and our ancestors are counting on us to leave the world better than we found it.

What do you think will be different about the Rochester community in five years?

I think we will have raised up a new set of young black progressive courageous leaders who will push us toward finishing the work and dream of people like Dr. King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Audrey Lourde and James Baldwin to better our community. I think we will realize that monitoring and securing the wellbeing of our children in Rochester is the top priority and the best way to determine the future health and prosperity of our whole society.

What is your favorite way to relieve stress?

A good body massage, exercise, prayer, singing, and laughter!

This profile is part of Rochester Business Journal's Power 100 list for 2023. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. View the full list at rbj.net.