Destiny Brown

Background

About Destiny Brown

I’m an incoming Ph.D. student in Urban Planning and Development at the University of Southern California. I recently completed my Master’s in Urban Studies with a concentration in Urban Planning at the University of New Orleans. Currently, I serve as a College Success Coach with College Beyond, supporting first-generation, Pell-Eligible college students in Southeast Louisiana. My work and academic path are grounded in a commitment to future generations of children and creating systems that protect their right to thrive. My research interests were inspired by my career working with young people ages 14–24 in Southeast Louisiana, including my experience as a high school educator during Hurricane Ida. I witnessed firsthand how students’ struggles often go unheard, with little space to reflect or process the trauma they endured. This lack of acknowledgment reflects broader, long-term consequences that continue to affect youth in this region. The recovery from Hurricane Katrina led to a shift from a unified public school system to a decentralized charter school network. This transformation reshaped the educational landscape and has created persistent challenges for students. These experiences deepened my commitment to justice and sharpened my focus on the intersection of environmental challenges and children’s wellbeing and rights. My master’s thesis examined how international frameworks, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, are incorporated into national environmental policies. This study found that that children in selected nations—including the U.S—have minimal agency to influence environmental decision-making. During my doctoral studies, I am interested in integrating youth agency into climate adaptation, resilience, and recovery planning in cities. Children under the age of 18 have been projected to make up 60% of urban populations by 2030 (ARUP, 2017). It is essential that all voices, including children, are shaping communities in responding to climate disasters and environmental harms. Core values: liberation, justice, imagination, and collective responsibility. Gallup strengths: Connectedness, Context, Futuristic, Belief, and Command INFJ