A man with a shaved head and beard smiling, wearing a light gray polo shirt and a smartwatch, holding a smartphone, standing indoors in front of a window with blinds and a curtain, with event posters in the background.

Maurice Brown, or Mo as many in our community call him, believes that housing, healthcare and education are human rights.

He believes that every single person deserves to be treated with dignity and every child deserves a fair shot at an education regardless of their zip code.

A man standing next to a door with a nameplate that reads: Maurice Brown, Success Coach, School of Liberal Arts.

Mo is an Alumni of both Onondaga Community College & Syracuse University.

Currently, Mo serves as the County Legislator for the 15th district of Onondaga County. The district includes parts of several neighborhoods including Westcott, Meadowbrook, University & Outer Comstock neighborhoods. Almost all of the Valley is included as well parts of the near Westside, Strathmore, Elmwood, Brighton, & the Southside.

Four soldiers in uniform standing indoors, with two US flags and a green curtain behind them, posing for a photo.

Before taking office, Mo decided to enlist in the United States Army Reserve, as a Military Police Officer. At the age of 22, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant becoming the youngest non-commissioned officer in his unit.

Serving in the Military taught him many things, but there are two lessons that have shaped his character: that if we work together we can accomplish some truly amazing things, and that although people come in many sizes, shapes and colors, fundamentally we all want the same things.

A smiling man wearing a white cap and a black T-shirt with Bernie Sanders' campaign logo, standing next to a smiling woman with long dark hair, in a crowded indoor event.

In 2015, Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign activated Mo into the political arena. Mo volunteered for the campaign and he was nominated to become a National Delegate.

Mo has hosted rallies, town halls, and other public events as part of the campaign. Although the campaign was unsuccessful, organizing for Senator Sanders in Central New York proved to be a valuable experience.

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Since then, Mo has worked on many electoral and issue campaigns here in Central New York.

In 2017, Mo co-founded Uplift Syracuse, a progressive advocacy group focused on bringing local change through electoral politics. Uplift fought to help build consensus for the Community Grid option, and they’ve worked to elect several progressives to local office. 

Although Uplift isn’t as active as it once was, they created a people’s platform that’s still important to our situation today. Also, their transportation plan is the pillar of Mo’s transportation policy.

A young man in a suit and denim shirt speaking at an event, with a blurred background of people and a warm lighting ambiance.

As the region’s organizer for the Working Families Party, Mo also worked to get big money out of politics as a part of Fair Elections NY. By helping pass public financing, the coalition worked to replace corporate-funded elections with Fair Elections and make sure ordinary New Yorkers would have their voices heard.

As part of this winning campaign, Mo has spent time organizing rallies and press events in Buffalo, Albany, Rochester and here in Syracuse. This campaign helped put elections back in the hands of ordinary New Yorkers.

A woman and a man standing indoors, smiling for the camera. The woman has white hair, glasses, and is wearing a red sweater and a black vest. The man has short black hair and is wearing a black T-shirt with a circular white graphic design and a smartwatch, giving a thumbs-up. There are political campaign signs, posters, a table with items, and a cardboard box in the background.

As an Organizer, Mo has worked or volunteered on several federal, state and local electoral campaigns in nearly every role. He managed winning campaigns for Mary Kuhn on the County Legislature and Anna Kelles in the State Assembly.

This time working campaigns has allowed Mo to meet some truly remarkable people. It’s affirmed his belief that there’s no other place like Syracuse, and no other community like ours here in Central NY.