AVAILABLE NOW
Stories of possibility and perseverance from a triple-Cancer survivor, artist, activist, and attorney.
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AVAILABLE NOW
100 rule-lined pages designed to help you keep track of your progress, your appointments, and your sense of humor.
eBook and Kindle editions available exclusively on Amazon beginning November 25th.
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Essays of a Moonshiner's Daughter is for you if you have ever found yourself with nothing or close-to-nothing - or if you cannot see how your life can improve. I am proof that, with faith in God, yourself, and in recognizing the angels among us, you will not only survive but win. I hope that you'll be inspired by my journey. Read on and be blessed.
stories of preserverance & finding a way
"Each of these wonderful, personable essays could be considered as one tiny piece of shining glass in the mosaic of her life. They illustrate the highs and the lows, the mountain tops and the valleys. As I read them, I felt like I was eavesdropping on the issues that nourished her as well the ones that almost took her out. Life is really the process of seeking the answers to your own questions and Margaret is sharing her questions with the world in these essays.
She is a woman of integrity and that is a rare commodity in this world where everything seems to be for sale. Margaret Brown’s entire life has shown us that one person who is dedicated, focused, and prepared for the battle can make a difference.
Oscar W. King, III, D.Min.
Senior Pastor Northwest Unity Baptist Church Practice Leader, Detroit Office Kelley-Cawthorne LLC |
I was instantly at ease with your calm and steady guidance. I recognized that working with you was an opportunity to learn and grow and was going to take it for all it was worth. Having a boss to learn and grow from because of your ability to encourage growth and support the person at the same time. You have such a wealth of knowledge. This seldom comes along in a lifetime; you were the second time in my lifetime. I was a bit heartbroken for a while after you left...was not nearly long enough. There was a huge space left where you were, and it was never filled. As you can see it was never the same without you.
If tenacious was a person it would be, Margaret Brown! She is professional, personable and most of all very result oriented!
Margaret worked on numerous government projects for the bank that resulted in substantial monetary awards. Not to be cliche but she is truly an asset!
Margaret worked on numerous government projects for the bank that resulted in substantial monetary awards. Not to be cliche but she is truly an asset!
I had no idea that my work with you would lay the foundation and be the knowledge and strength that would make me the right leader for Habitat for Humanity of Michigan. I thought I was a leader of housing, but I am a leader of race relations and racial equity and justice and this is at the forefront of all that I do every day and is more relevant than ever.
I learned many life lessons from Margaret, one of the most important being, "I matter and you matter." Her assertive and well-balanced nature allowed her to lead in a fair manner. I was also motivated by her willingness to keep growing and accomplishing both personally and professionally at every stage in her life. Margaret is someone that I truly respect as she has inspired me to do and be more.
Margaret worked a lot behind the scenes. We benefited from her ability to communicate the need for emerging contractors to have opportunity to improve their business acumen. In fact, there are several well established contractors who benefited from the program. The successful funding and acceptance for the program were led by the efforts of Margaret Brown.
As a former MSDHA employee (1989-2004), I fondly recall both the culture and the litany of staff Margaret references, and she captures each and everyone’s idiosyncrasies so vividly (especially Terry Duvernay). Her professional journey is a story that is well articulated and accurately told. Margaret joined MSHDA at a time when the leadership culture was male dominated but ready for a change agent like her. Her calm demeanor underpinned her genuine presence as an astute leader who was also good listener. She also documents her zeal as a life-long learner and then transitions into the formation of programs and policy that resulted from her participation in various conferences. Margaret was not afraid to challenge existing norms when she knew they needed to be changed. She did so with tenacity and a fervent grasp of the reasons for doing it, which were imbedded in the laws or federal/state regulations. She was a champion for EEO, ADA and Fair Housing and made sure that all MSHDA staff and partners adhered to the protocols she helped to create. We are all better for her many contributions and work at MSHDA. What a journey!
I am halfway through your book and can't put it down.
Friends, purchase this book and read it. Margaret, you're truly a brilliant storyteller. Thanks for sharing your incredible life story. Here's to many more years doing all you enjoy!
Friends, purchase this book and read it. Margaret, you're truly a brilliant storyteller. Thanks for sharing your incredible life story. Here's to many more years doing all you enjoy!
"Essays of a Moonshiner's daughter" takes you down memory lane, from childhood experiences to watching Hee-Haw on TV. It also inspires you to not just be content with life but to push your limits to listen, learn, expand, and maximize every aspect of it. It makes you want to strive to go higher and educate people to go higher with you. You can tell this book was written from the heart and it was created from genuine feelings and thoughts from her past. You know a book is good when you can feel what the author feels.
I highly recommend this book! It is easy to read. I could not put it down. Margaret fought to overcome a number of obstacles and challenges, while being underestimated, dismissed disrespected, and marginalized. Yet, through perseverance and faith, she was able to serve as a catalyst to bring in over 27 million dollars to Wayne County and over 70 billion dollars to the State of Michigan through the federal New Markets Tax Credit program (NMTC). She highlights how Ernest Wallick, Martha Bibbs, Terry Duvernay, and others supported her.
Margaret Brown is audacious. A triple-Cancer survivor, artist, activist, attorney, and recipient of the 2014 Ford Freedom Award for The Power of Perseverance, Margaret inspires with her storytelling in “A Moonshiner's Daughter”, a book of essays about her journey.
PERSPECTIVES
obsessionsnew markets tax credits // may 6, 2022
In 2002, on the eve of her retirement from 29 years of service to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), Margaret Brown stumbles upon the New Markets Tax Credit Program. Hear how her curiosity led to Michigan's securing of a large share of over $70 billion in NMTC allocations when she speaks during the New Markets Tax Credit Webinar Training series, hosted by Bass River Global Institute.
nINE lIVESPERSERVERANCE // JANUARY 1, 2022Excerpted from the book, Essays of a Moonshiner's Daughter
"It was a cold but clear Saturday morning and I was on my way to Grand Rapids to give a speech. The temperature in East Lansing was 40° and the roads were clear. I was moving along fine and did not notice the change in my car's outside temperature gauge. When I did see what I thought was wet pavement it was too late. I hit a patch of black ice and my Toyota Camry started to spin out of control. At some point, I realize I was going airborne and I simply closed my eyes, put my hands in the air and said, “God take over.” I flew up and around more times than I knew and landed roof down in a ditch." |
meet margaretHaving spent a substantial part of her career as a public servant in affordable housing, Ms. Brown has helped to ensure fair housing and employment opportunities for renting, buying and constructing in excess of 50,000 housing units valued in excess of $5 billion in the state of Michigan. She is a cancer survivor, artist, activist, proud mother and grandmother, and a travel enthusiast.
Margaret's accomplishments include receipt of the 2002 Fair Housing Leadership Award, the 2018 Fair Housing Cliff Schrupp Award, the MSHDA Lighthouse Award, and the Contractors Assistance Leadership Award. She has served on the boards of Women ARISE and the Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit and was a past President and member of the Lansing Black Lawyers Association (now known as The Davis-Dunnings Bar Association (DDBA). Margaret is a member of the Thomas M. Cooley Society and also served as a Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation. |
tOOLS & rEFERENCES
FAIR ACCESS TO CREDIT
NFHA is providing this Redlining Toolkit to help civil rights and consumer advocates understand the public data relating to redlining risk to ensure that creditworthy borrowers in their communities receive fair and equitable access to credit. This toolkit can also serve as a roadmap for lenders and government entities that want to ensure compliance with fair lending laws and promote racial equity. Journalists, scholars, and researchers may find this toolkit to be an instructive guide to understanding the history of the dual credit market, the regulatory structure, and the role of public data.
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