{{short description|American politician|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Aja Brown |image = Aja Brown 0021.jpg |alt = Aja Brown |office = 18th Mayor of Compton |term_start = July 2, 2013 |term_end = June 30, 2021 |predecessor = Eric J. Perrodin |successor = Emma Sharif |birth_name = Aja Lena Clinkscale |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|4|17}} |birth_place = Altadena, California, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |relatives = Jonathan Clinkscale (twin) |education = University of Southern California (BS, MUP) }}
'''Aja Lena Brown''' ({{nee}} Clinkscale; born April 17, 1982)<ref name="FamilySearch-CABirthIndex-1982">{{Cite web |date=17 April 1982 |title=Aja Lena Clinkscale - California Birth Index |url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VL7F-DQQ |access-date=August 15, 2016 |website=FamilySearch}}</ref> is an American politician who was the mayor of Compton, California from 2013 to 2021. She won the election by defeating both incumbent mayor Eric J. Perrodin and former mayor Omar Bradley.<ref name="Elle-Profile-2015">{{Cite news |last=Aleksander |first=Irina |date=January 23, 2015 |title=The Unsinkable Aja Brown: Aja Brown Wants to Turn Compton Into the "New Brooklyn" |work=Elle |url=http://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a26180/the-unsinkable-aja-brown/ |access-date=August 15, 2016}}</ref><ref name="LAWeekly-CoverStory-2013">{{Cite news |last=McDonald |first=Patrick Range |date=18 July 2013 |title=Can Aja Brown, Compton's Hip, Refreshing Reform Mayor, Turn This Woeful City Around? |work=LA Weekly |url=https://www.laweekly.com/can-aja-brown-comptons-hip-refreshing-reform-mayor-turn-this-woeful-city-around/ |access-date=August 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150827020427/https://www.laweekly.com/news/can-aja-brown-comptons-hip-refreshing-reform-mayor-turn-this-woeful-city-around-2614492|archive-date=2015-08-27|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Early life == Brown was born Aja Lena Clinkscale in Altadena, California, to a single mother, Brenda Jackson, who worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech.<ref name=FamilySearch-CABirthIndex-1982 /> Her parents divorced when she was young.<ref name=LAWeekly-CoverStory-2013/> She has a fraternal twin brother, Jonathan Clinkscale, who played football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.<ref name="OxyAthletics-JonathanClinkscale">{{Cite web |title=Football: Jonathan Clinkscale, Defensive Line Coach |url=http://www.oxyathletics.com/sports/fball/2010-11/coaches/jonathanclinkscale?view=bio |access-date=15 August 2016 |website=Oxy Athletics |publisher=Occidental College |archive-date=28 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828234425/http://www.oxyathletics.com/sports/fball/2010-11/coaches/jonathanclinkscale?view=bio |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Vogue-Profile-2015">{{Cite news |last=Ephron |first=Amy |date=9 September 2015 |title=You Can Call Her Mayor Brown: How Aja Brown Is Transforming the City of Compton |work=Vogue |url=http://www.vogue.com/872905/you-can-call-her-mayor-brown-how-aja-brown-is-transforming-the-city-of-compton/#1 |access-date=August 15, 2016 |archive-date=11 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011034420/http://www.vogue.com/872905/you-can-call-her-mayor-brown-how-aja-brown-is-transforming-the-city-of-compton/#1 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Brown's mother grew up in East Compton.<ref name=Elle-Profile-2015 /><ref name="LATimes-MayoralElection-2013">{{Cite news |last1=Jennings |first1=Angel |last2=Sewell |first2=Abby |date=1 June 2013 |title=Compton's mayoral choice: old guard or new blood? |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2013-jun-01-la-me-compton-election-20130602-story.html |access-date=August 15, 2016}}</ref>
In 2000, Brown graduated from John Muir High School in Pasadena, CA.<ref name=LAWeekly-CoverStory-2013 /><ref name=OxyAthletics-JonathanClinkscale />
In 2004, Brown graduated from University of Southern California, where she received a full academic scholarship, with a bachelor's degree in policy, planning & development that included public policy, urban planning and development. In 2005, she earned a Master of Urban Planning, which included urban planning with a concentration in economic development.<ref name="CityOfCompton-Bio">{{Cite web |title=Elected Officials: Aja Brown, Mayor |url=http://www.comptoncity.org/officials/mayor/default.asp |access-date=August 15, 2016 |website=City of Compton |archive-date=August 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807063012/http://www.comptoncity.org/officials/mayor/default.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> The subject of her master's thesis was an analysis of the 2004 failed development of a Walmart supercenter in Inglewood.<ref name=LAWeekly-CoverStory-2013 />
==Career== In 2004, while attending USC, Brown began working for the City of Gardena, California as an Economic Development Analyst.<ref name=CityOfCompton-Bio />
In 2006, Brown began working for the City of Inglewood, California as an Urban Planner. In 2007, she served a term as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Pasadena, then resigned in 2009 to join Compton's Redevelopment Agency as a Redevelopment Project Manager, focusing her efforts on revitalizing the emergent City of Compton. She was responsible for creating community benefits legislation, initiating community-led downtown revitalization action committees, overseeing the Agency's urban planning and economic development initiatives. Brown also created and implemented Compton's Apprentice Program designed to create jobs for local residents on city-funded or assisted capital improvement projects.<ref name="Guardian-NewBrooklyn-2013">{{Cite news |last=Carroll |first=Rory |date=October 15, 2013 |title=Aja Brown, Compton's new mayor: 'I see it as a new Brooklyn' |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/15/aja-brown-compton-new-mayor-sees-brooklyn |access-date=August 15, 2016}}</ref>
In 2011, Brown co-founded the Urban Vision Community Development Corporation, a non-profit organization in Compton dedicated to community economic and youth development. Brown has also developed several re-branding programs that have achieved success in various cities, and she was awarded the "Best 2012 Communicator Design Award" for her "Yes!" campaign for the City of Compton. She has been instrumental in marketing Compton's buyer's program for first-time home buyers, as well as programs to attract expertise in land use and transportation.<ref name=Elle-Profile-2015 /><ref name="ComptonHerald-StateOfTheCity-2015">{{Cite news |date=July 5, 2015 |title=Mayor Aja Brown delivers 'State of the City' address, Friday |work=Compton Herald |url=http://comptonherald.com/mayor-aja-brown-delivers-state-of-the-city-address-friday/ |access-date=August 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706080420/http://comptonherald.com/mayor-aja-brown-delivers-state-of-the-city-address-friday/ |archive-date= July 6, 2015}}</ref> thumb|Mayor Brown and her husband, Van.
== 2013–2021: Compton mayor ==
=== 2012 mayoral election === Having worked as a city employee for Compton, Brown decided in October 2012 to introduce what she called her "New Vision for Compton". A newcomer to politics, she defeated 12 candidates, including former mayor Omar Bradley and the incumbent mayor Eric J. Perrodin, to become the youngest mayor of Compton at age 31<ref name=Elle-Profile-2015 /><ref name=ComptonHerald-StateOfTheCity-2015 /> and the 8th consecutive African-American elected as mayor.
===12-point strategy plan=== Mayor Brown has launched a "12-point plan" designed to strategically advance the city of Compton. During Brown's tenure as a city employee, she recognized that the essential components needed to foster a healthy, thriving city were either outdated or non-existent. Addressing existing problems on multiple fronts, including youth development, infrastructure, working with educational coalitions and economic development, she says she has made her "12-Point Plan" accessible for the residents to follow along with the progress of the city.<ref name="BET-Profile-2014">{{Cite news |last=Hicks |first=Jonathan |date=March 18, 2014 |title=Aja Brown: A History-Making Mayor in Compton |work=BET |url=https://www.bet.com/article/tdlmec/aja-brown-a-history-making-mayor-in-compton |access-date=August 15, 2016}}</ref>
===Decrease in violence and crime=== In 2014, Brown began reaching out to Compton Bloods and Crips gang leaders through former members to negotiate peace. She uses conflict mitigation instead of heavy policing. Since the gangs started regular meetings, violent activity and crime was reduced by about 65 percent compared to the all-time high some 25 years ago.<ref name="Telegraph-Profile-2014">{{Cite news |last=Allen |first=Nick |date=December 26, 2014 |title=Straight into Compton: house prices soar as murderous gangs reach truce |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11313948/Straight-into-Compton-house-prices-soar-as-murderous-gangs-reach-truce.html |access-date=August 15, 2016}}</ref><ref name="ComptonHerald-StateOfTheCityAddress-2015">{{Cite news |last=Fellows, Jr. |first=Jarrette |date=July 15, 2015 |title=Mayor Aja Brown unfurls some surprises at Compton city address |work=Compton Herald |url=http://comptonherald.com/mayor-aja-brown-unfurls-some-surprises-at-compton-city-address/ |access-date=August 15, 2016 |archive-date=August 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810013433/http://comptonherald.com/mayor-aja-brown-unfurls-some-surprises-at-compton-city-address/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Congressional run=== In 2018, she launched a campaign for the United States House of Representatives in California's 44th congressional district, against incumbent Nanette Barragán.<ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Connor |first=Lydia |date=March 8, 2018 |title=Compton Mayor Aja Brown Announces Run For Congress |work=Huffington Post |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/compton-mayor-aja-brown-congress-race_us_5aa16539e4b0e9381c167a5e |access-date=March 8, 2018}}</ref> A couple of months before the primary, Brown announced a withdrawal from the race due to her pregnancy with her first child.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hutson |first=Darralynn |author-link=Darralynn Hutson |date=2018-04-06 |title=Compton Mayor Aja Brown Drops Out of Congressional Race, Days After Stacey Dash Withdraws |url=https://www.laweekly.com/compton-mayor-aja-brown-drops-out-of-congressional-race-days-after-stacey-dash-withdraws/ |access-date=2019-10-21 |website=LA Weekly |language=en-US}}</ref> Nonetheless, her name remained on the ballot because her withdrawal came after the deadline. She advanced to the general election after ending up in second place with 10,257 votes (17% share of the votes).<ref>{{cite web|title=Statement of Vote: June 5, 2018 Statewide direct primary election|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2018-primary/sov/2018-complete-sov.pdf|page=23|publisher=California Secretary of State}}</ref> She lost the general election to Barragán, receiving only 45,378 votes (31.7%).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2018-general/sov/2018-complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote: November 6, 2018 Statewide direct general election|page=11|publisher=California Secretary of State}}</ref>
===Compton Pledge guaranteed income=== In 2021, the city began distributing monthly universal basic income payments to a “pre-verified” pool of low-income residents, in a two-year donor-funded program initiated by Brown, gauged for a maximum of 800 recipients, at which point it will be one of the larger among 25 U.S. cities exploring this approach to community economics.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://theappeal.org/compton-guaranteed-income-program-aja-brown/ | title=Compton Joins the Growing Number of U.S. Cities to Launch a Guaranteed Income Program | date=28 January 2021 }}</ref>
==Personal life== Brown is married to Van Brown, a Petrochemical Safety Manager, whom she met and began dating in high school. Van Brown is a former University of Southern California football player.<ref name="USCTrojans-VanBrown-Bio">{{Cite web |title=Football: Van Brown Bio |url=http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/brown_van00.html |access-date=15 August 2016 |website=USC Trojans |publisher=University of Southern California |archive-date=26 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826091326/http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/brown_van00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Brown and her husband moved to Compton in 2009.<ref name=Elle-Profile-2015 /> She and her husband are members of Faith Inspirational Missionary Baptist Church, where they work in community outreach programs.<ref name=Guardian-NewBrooklyn-2013 /> She gave birth to her first daughter in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Compton Mayor Aja Brown Shows 1st Pic Of Her Beautiful Baby Girl - The Shade Room |url=https://theshaderoom.com/compton-mayor-ajabrown-shows-1st-pic-of-her-beautiful-baby-girl/ |access-date=2019-10-21 |website=theshaderoom.com|date=2 October 2018 }}</ref>
In 1973, nine years before Brown's birth, her maternal grandmother, Lena Young, a nurse, was raped and murdered in a home invasion in Compton. As of 2013, the crime remained unsolved, with critics charging Brown of fabricating the story.<ref name=Elle-Profile-2015 /><ref name=LAWeekly-CoverStory-2013 />
Brown's first name comes from the Steely Dan song, "Aja", the title track of the 1977 record, ''Aja,'' because it was a favorite of Brown's mother.<ref name=Vogue-Profile-2015 />
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *[http://ajabrown.com/ Mayor Aja Brown Official website] *{{C-SPAN}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Eric J. Perrodin}} {{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Compton|years=2013–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Emma Sharif}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Aja}} Category:1982 births Category:20th-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century African-American women politicians Category:20th-century American women politicians Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:21st-century African-American women politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century mayors of places in California Category:African-American mayors in California Category:American urban planners Category:Democratic Party mayors in California Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections Category:Living people Category:Mayors of Compton, California Category:People from Altadena, California Category:American twins Category:USC Sol Price School of Public Policy alumni Category:Women mayors of places in California Category:Women urban planners Category:African-American women mayors