Oppression within societies and institutions has long been a topic of interest for many researchers. And, for Taurean Brown, this proves especially true.
Brown, a second-year Ph.D. student in the sociology and anthropology department, has spent the last few years doing research and giving lectures, workshops and keynote speeches on racial, gender and class inequality to large universities nationwide — in addition to spreading the word to his 62.8 thousand Twitter followers.
When Brown graduated with a bachelor’s degree from NC State in 2011, social work was the last thing on his mind. Brown received his undergraduate degree in science in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology, but the major served as a placeholder for him until his graduation.
“I found wildlife sciences as an exciting subject,” Brown said. “But 2011 was right around the turn of the recession so a lot of the jobs for that area left. I just wanted to make money at the time, and when I did I found out I wasn’t satisfied with what I was doing and developed the desire to be involved in creating change. That was what led me here.”
His time in the field wasn’t without merit, however. Brown says his knowledge of biological and natural sciences has allowed him to better understand the discourse that would come from the field, and his time as an undergraduate granted him valuable communication skills — especially networking.
Now, operating under the handle @SankofaBrown, Brown uses his social skills to spread awareness to all forms of injustice, tweeting about everything from police brutality to current political undertakings. Brown talked on the importance of networking across disciplines.
“As much as we might give claim to a meritocracy myth, we know that networking is a big deal,” Brown said. “And how you engage with folks and the relationships you build matter greatly.”
Brown’s sudden interest in sociology stemmed from his curiosity about why his and other communities function the way they do. His studies helped him gain a new consciousness about both himself and the world, which has led him to wonder about the constraints himself and other African-Americans are faced with in today’s society.
“I saw a lot of [my friends] that didn’t go to NC State being involved in the prison system or as victims of violence, and I wondered ‘Why is this?” Brown said. “Some folks will say, ‘Well, you just made better decisions than them.’ And I knew that was B.S. We had the same connections and understanding, and maybe I had some advantages coming from a two-parent household, but even that didn’t explain what was going on.”
Growing up in the small town of Kinston, North Carolina, Brown witnessed a large amount of violence due to racial and economic inequality. Being in close proximity to community violence, Brown began to question the reason behind such injustice — a curiosity which marked the beginning of his career as a sociologist.
“That’s how I got to my broader analysis of other stuff,” Brown said. “If you want to talk about ending violence then you’ve got to talk about why folks don’t have jobs or access to healthcare, and the history of racism and the prison-industrial complex. There’s so many other factors that go on to create this issue we see in community violence.”
This made for the driving force behind his research on community violence and black political development, especially regarding radicalism. And while Twitter acted as a platform where Brown could share what he was reading and learning, Brown also joined activist organizations, wrote for Nubian Message and started his own blog in order to make his voice heard. Before he knew it, his social media presence had grown exponentially.
“It was weird because it didn’t happen intentionally,” Brown said. “I needed a space to get out these thoughts I was having. Then I got invited to speak at universities and it kind of just grew. It was kind of a burden at some points because your tweets get picked up by mainstream media. It’s a weird place, … being visible for who people see you [through a screen] rather than [for] who you are.”
Despite the awkward position social media frequently put him in, Brown eventually embraced the attention and the way it allowed him to reach others through his knowledge and passion for justice.
“What I really embraced was speaking at universities and meeting the people who said, ‘Look, I’ve been following your page since I was 15, and you changed how I thought about the world,’” Brown said. “I never thought someone would follow me for so long and think what I had to say was valuable.”
Brown’s consciousness is felt off the internet as well. John Hedlund, a graduate student in NC State’s sociology department, is one of many who enjoys Brown’s progressive insight.
“Most people within the department are progressive politically, but being specifically more into Marxism isn’t quite as common,” Hedlund said. “Exploring the discipline of sociology from a similar lens at a graduate level helped me gain a deeper understanding of it. Having someone else to analyze the material and bounce ideas off of outside the canon of sociology has been helpful. I’m glad to have him.”
Even with his clout on social media, Brown never took full advantage of his following to promote himself. Doing so would’ve contradicted his goals going into the field, whereas teaching allowed him to reach people in a way he felt was most effective.
“I’m interested in the liberation of oppressed people,” Brown said. “I wanted to be in a space where I reach people on a daily basis. College students are a powerful source of new information and the bridge between the community and professional world. I see a lot of value being in the classroom, not trying to convince students to think like me, but to help them develop their own skills to see and analyze the world.”
To keep up with Brown and his research, follow him on Twitter at @SankofaBrown.
