Black History Today: Brittany Young, liberating her community by defining her own freedom
/Black History Today, created by Marcus Harden in honor of Black History Month, pays tribute to the living legacy of Black history in our community and beyond and recognizes the people shaping the future.
Presented in collaboration with the South Seattle Emerald.
“When I liberate myself, I liberate others. If you don’t speak out, ain’t nobody going to speak out for you.”
By Marcus Harden
Freedom is a principle that I’d argue we strive for the most in life. Freedom to express, freedom to explore and freedom to create. While no one can truly give us freedom, there are many whose freedom gives us permission and inspiration to seek it for ourselves.
Brittany Young is a purveyor of inspiring freedom. The unofficial mayor of Baltimore, Brittany consistently liberates others as she continually seeks to liberate herself. Brittany does this through shattering down barriers as the founder and CEO of B-360, an initiative that introduces Baltimore kids to the STEM field through dirt bikes.
If you know Baltimore, you understand how deeply embedded the dirt-bike culture is in the city. As a self-described mad scientist, Brittany has blended her unique background to create space for young people to not only express themselves through their passion but simultaneously learn the skills and tools necessary to find purpose.
Brittany began her journey of service by being unafraid to define her own freedom. At age six, she got her first chemistry set and found a way to blow her eyebrows off. As a budding Black female scientist, she was inspired by her first Black female teacher in third grade, Ms. Taylor, who would give space for her to create through letting Brittany accompany high school students during local science clubs and fairs.
Brittany would take this inspiration and turn it into action, busting through paradigms to become an engineer (a recent study showed that 1.6% of graduate level engineering students were Black women). She would go on to work for NASA and serve in numerous leadership roles, oftentimes being the “lonely only” but never being discouraged from her purpose.
Yet to know Brittany is to truly be inspired. She shows up through her authenticity and service in every space, unafraid to speak truth to power. Whether fighting for the young people in her program, advocating for policy change or continually pushing for access for women in STEM, Brittany continually blazes the trail to freedom for others to follow.
Brittany’s brilliant mind is only bettered by her true giving heart. The way she cares for the community is only trumped by the care she shows for her close friends and family, especially as a true role model for her siblings. Brittany breathes life into the Nelson Mandela quote that reminds us that “to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
Brittany is a chain-breaker, a liberator and a mad scientist for societal change. Most of all she is, indeed, Black History Today!
Original artwork created by Devin Chicras for the South Seattle Emerald.
