The Kettering Foundation’s Dayton Democracy Fellowship is a program that supports innovative leaders, changemakers, and dreamers who are building movements for inclusive democracy in their communities and in our wider world. This series of articles about the Dayton Democracy Fellows highlights their robust work and the powerful narratives that drive the advancement and defense of democracy. 

Dayton Democracy Fellow Hannah Brown is lucky enough to hold what she calls her dream job at NCCJ: Nurturing Community, Cultivating Justice of Greater Dayton as the assistant director of education. In many ways, she began training for the job in high school. That was when she became involved with NCCJ’s program, SPIDEE, which stands for Students Promoting Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity through Education.

The Yellow Springs native was active in SPIDEE all four years of high school. Then, during senior year she attended NCCJ’s Anytown Institute, a weeklong leadership development camp that brought together young people from across the region. It was transformative.

“I got to meet students from schools around the area that I didn’t know existed, and I got to see beyond my community,” she said. The experience was life-changing at just the right time as she was about to enter college with few ideas of what direction her life should take. Attending the camp inspired her to get a degree in peace studies.

“And now,” said Brown, smiling, “I have the privilege of overseeing those programs as a staff person, and I get to see those connections among students that happened to me years ago.”

Even through college, Brown saw democracy as involving voting, the political process, and little else. Since then, she has begun to broaden her understanding. She realized that she had been doing democracy work for years, especially in her work with youth. It is rewarding work.

The NCCJ programs that inspired her as a teenager continue to educate the youth of greater Dayton, and Brown sees their insights grow in real time. They begin to realize that they can work with others to change their community, and their horizons broaden. “It becomes much bigger, not just ‘we can make an impact on our school,’ but ‘we can make an impact even beyond our school, in our community, in our city, in our county and beyond,’” Brown said. “It’s just so powerful to see their eyes light up with that knowledge and that understanding.”

Brown assists another Dayton Democracy Fellow, Lake Miller, in his job as NCCJ director of education. Having two fellows in the same organization increases their collaboration in the work of democracy even more, she said.

NCCJ’s programs have evolved with the times. Some of the problems Brown faced as a teen remain the same, but social media has magnified problems such as bullying. “I had friends who had cell phones, but it wasn’t as common to have texting or the internet on those phones. When you left school, bullying tended to stop. But [now] bullying rates have increased, and the kids never have a break from it,” she said. NCCJ’s skill-building helps teach young people not just to stand up for themselves, but for others, too. “Technology is no longer something that is optional. Being able to teach those skills early is vital,” Brown said.

Her work with youth keeps her from getting discouraged about the state of the world. “Many people talk about youth as the leaders of tomorrow, but we really know that they’re actually also the leaders of today. Their voices have power, and especially when they combine them, their voices can really shake a community,” Brown said. “We can help give them some skills along the way, like ensuring that they know that their voices matter, and that they know what to say.”

When it comes to shaping a better world, Brown said, “Starting with youth is step one.”

Maura Casey is a former editorial writer for the New York Times and has worked with the Kettering Foundation since 2010.