Amen Brown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amen Brown
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office January 5, 2021 (2021-01-05)
Preceded by	G. Roni Green
Constituency	190th District (2021-2022) 10th District (2023-present)
Personal details
Born	c. 1987 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Children	2
Education	Community College of Philadelphia

Amen Brown (born c. 1987) is an American politician. He is currently a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 10th District since 2023. Brown previously represented the 190th District from 2021 to 2022 before redistricting moved him to the 10th District.

Early life and education

Brown was born and raised in West Philadelphia. He grew up in a single parent household with his eight siblings. In high school, Brown was arrested during a police raid at a corner store. He was in jail for 45 days.

After graduating from Overbrook High School, in 2006, he attended the Community College of Philadelphia with the intention of becoming a school principal. He left college early to pursue his business career.

Business career

At age 22, Brown co-founded the Education Nation Learning Academy, a child care facility in Frankford. A few years later, he opened a second facility. Brown left the partnership and founded the Overbrook Beacon Community Center in Overbrook.

He has also worked as the coordinator for the University of Pennsylvania Sayre Community School Beacon.

Political career

In March 2019, Brown ran in the special election held to fill the 190th state house seat vacated after Vanessa L. Brown resigned. He ran as a member of the Amen Brown Party and won 20% of the vote in a four-way race, losing to Democrat Movita Johnson-Harrell.

State representative

In June 2020, Brown ran as a Democrat, defeating incumbent G. Roni Green in the Democratic primary, winning by just 600 votes. He campaigned during the COVID-19 pandemic by delivering masks and hand sanitizer.

Brown was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in November 2020, winning 95% of the vote and defeating Republican Wanda Logan.

Following redistricting in 2021, Brown successfully ran for the 10th District seat in 2022. This was despite an attempt to have Brown removed from the primary ballot after it was revealed Brown failed to properly fill out a required list of financial interests. Brown's name was allowed to remain on the ballot, though a judge did chastise Brown for displaying “an ignorance and shocking lack of care of the law.”

2023 Philadelphia mayoral election

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on December 5, 2022, Brown was planning to declare his candidacy as a Democratic candidate for the 2023 Philadelphia mayoral election. He announced his candidacy on December 16, 2022. His platform centered around fighting crime and improving the city's standard of living. In March 2023, the validity of Brown's candidacy was challenged. Attorney Kevin Greenberg challenged Brown's candidacy on the basis that some 2,700 signatures on Brown's nominating petitions were allegedly fraudulent. Greenberg additionally said omissions in Brown's financial statements should also disqualify him from the race. Brown himself claimed the challenge was a "smear tactic" arranged by fellow candidate Jeff Brown (no relation to Brown). Greenberg worked for Jeff Brown, and several individuals who reviewed Brown's nominating petitions had ties to Jeff Brown's campaign. Around 2,000 signatures on Brown's nominating petitions were thrown out, but he was still left with the required minimum to remain on the ballot. A judge also allowed Brown to refile his financial statement and remain on the ballot.

Brown kept a low profile during the mayoral race; skipping several forums where most other candidates were present. He was considered a "longshot" candidate. Because of his laxed campaign and larger absence from party functions, Bob Brady, the chair of Philadelphia's Democratic Party, removed Brown as 60th Ward Leader and installed a temporary replacement. Brown ultimately came in sixth in the primary with just over 3,000 votes, or 1.3%.

Political positions

The Philadelphia Inquirer has labeled Brown as a "centrist" or "moderate" Democrat. Philadelphia magazine called Brown "[t]he closest thing Philly has to an Eric Adams."

Education

Brown supports charter school. PACs linked to Jeff Yass, a businessman, who supports school choice, have given Brown at least $62,500 since the start of 2021, which is roughly 40% of his total donations of his state house campaign in that same time period. Brown was the only Democrat in the State House to vote for a bill that would have created a voucher program for children attending schools that have low cumulative test scores, though he later had his vote reversed. During a 2023 Philadelphia mayoral debate, Brown voiced the idea of replacing the elected Philadelphia school board with an appointed one. He credited the existing board with causing poor conditions in schools.

Illegal dirt bikes and ATVs

He has been outspoken in his opposition to illegal dirt bikes and ATVs on the streets of Philadelphia. He has said that they terrorize pedestrians, drive recklessly and cause noise pollution. Brown has called for legislation to be passed that will permit the police to capture and destroy illegal dirt bikes. He supports developing vacant land into a suitable area for dirt bike and ATV use.

LGTBQ+ issues

Brown voted against a bill in the State House that would have prohibited transgender athletes from participating in the sport of their identifying gender.

Brown also voted against legislation that would require transgender youth to use the bathrooms of their assigned gender. He has also expressed support for gender affirming care conducted at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

In a show of support for drag queens, Brown and several other 2023 Philadelphia mayoral candidates participated in a photo-op with Philadelphia drag performers.

Personal life

Brown has two children.

Financial issues

In 2014, Brown was implicated in deed fraud when he purchased a property at 2312 Reed Street for $15,000 cash from owner Norman Johnson who had been deceased for over a decade. Johnson's rightful heirs reacquired the property in court after a judge nullified the forged deed. He faced criminal charges, which were eventually dropped. Brown defended his actions saying he was a victim of a Craigslist scam.

A year later, Brown was sued for $26,000 in a breach of contract lawsuit. Brown signed a contract to renovate a house in North Philadelphia but "completely failed to perform certain aspects of the work or performed the work negligently" according to the lawsuit. In 2021, the City of Philadelphia sued Brown for $30,000 in unpaid taxes and liens.

In a 2023 article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jeffrey Brooks Jr., a former business associate of Brown, accused him of only paying back $23,000 of a $50,000 loan.

Electoral history