| Blondell Reynolds Brown | |
|---|---|
| At-Large Member of Philadelphia City Council | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2000 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 16, 1952 Sumter, South Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Penn State University |
Blondell Reynolds Brown is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. She is currently serving her 3rd term as a member of Philadelphia City Council. Reynolds Brown is the only woman to win a Philadelphia At-Large Council seat since 2000.[1]
On Tuesday May 17, 2011 Reynolds Brown won the Democratic Party nomination in the Pennsylvania Primary, finishing first in a field of 14 candidates.
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Reynolds Brown was born on October 16, 1952, in Sumter, South Carolina. Her parents are Sadie, a schoolteacher, and the late Whittimore Reynolds, who worked in construction. She is the oldest of seven children.
After graduating from the Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1970, Reynolds Brown earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 1974 and a Master of Science in Education with a focus on counseling and guidance in 1975, both from Penn State University. That year she began teaching elementary school in the School District of Philadelphia.
In 1982, Reynolds Brown began a career as a professional dancer, ultimately earning a place as a professional company member of the Philadelphia Dance Company, also known as Philadanco. Following her company membership, she would continue her affiliation with Philadanco, becoming a dance instructor and later a board member for 20 years.
From 2002–2005 Reynolds Brown served as a national Robert Wood Johnson Foundation fellow in the area of Urban Health Initiatives providing an intensive learning experience in planning and implementing strategic and innovative policy system changes for children, youth and families. She is also a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Community Leadership Program and the Philadelphia Urban League Leadership Institute.[2]
She currently resides with her family in Philadelphia’s Wynnefield section.[3]
From 1982 to 1986, Reynolds Brown served as a committee person for the Third Division of Philadelphia’s 24th Ward, beginning her career in politics. In 1991, she was hired as legislative director for then Pennsylvania State Senator and current Congressman Chaka Fattah. She went on to serve as Community Affairs Director for State Senator Vincent Hughes.[4]
Reynolds Brown was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1984, 1988, 1996, 2000 and 2008.
Philadelphia City Council is composed of 10 District Councilmembers and 7 members At-Large. At-Large members are elected city wide.
Per the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, a candidate for City Council At-Large must place 5th or higher in their party primary held in May. Those candidates advance to the November general election where they must place 7th or higher to win a seat.
| Year | Democratic Primary Ranking | Number of Primary Candidates | General Election Ranking (Out of 10) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 6th | 12 | N/A |
| 1999 | 3rd | 52 | 5th |
| 2003 | 1st | 10 | 3rd |
| 2007 | 5th | 19 | 4th |
| 2011 | 1st | 14 | N/A |
Reynolds Brown’s core issues are women, children, education, arts and culture, and small business development. In her 3rd term, she has become a leader on energy conservation, sustainability and environmental issues.
Reynolds Brown’s first major public policy victory came as a freshman Councilmember when she brokered a deal that established the Fund for Children during the new sports stadium negotiations in 2000. Consequently, the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles will donate $1 million per team per year for 30 years, yielding more than $60 million to help children in Philadelphia.
Her other accomplishments include a “Green Building” bill requiring City owned construction to meet high environmental standards, overhauling the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation system by merging Fairmount Park with the Philadelphia Department of Recreation, defending the City’s “Percent for Art” program, and instituting the Special Committee on Gender Parity and Working Women.[5]
In 2007, Reynolds Brown and Congressman Fattah created the “Groceries for Guns” buyback program that provided $200 in grocery tokens in exchange for firearms. The program is credited with removing over 1,000 guns of the streets of Philadelphia.
In 2008, she authored legislation requiring chain restaurants with 15 or more locations nationwide to label menus with nutritional information, the most comprehensive menu labeling bill in the country. The bill requires the listing of fat, sodium and sugar in addition to calories.[6][7]
Brown is a member of the following City Council committees:
Since 1999, Reynolds Brown has become an honorary mentor to thousands of women and girls through her signature program, The Celebration of Moxie Women, on the occasion of Women's History Month in March. Through this program, Reynolds Brown has honored hundreds of successful business and professional women, working mothers, and Philadelphia’s “Next Generation of Female Leaders: Rising Stars”.
Reynolds Brown serves on the board of directors of the following community organizations:
Additionally, she is a member of the following :
Reynolds Brown has been recognized with the following awards and distinctions :