Judith Brown is a storyteller, disability justice advocate, and community builder who believes that the strongest communities are created when every person and every organization has the opportunity to contribute.
Her journey into advocacy began while raising her two sons, both on the autism spectrum. As she learned to navigate education, healthcare, and disability systems on behalf of her family, she also began navigating her own disability journey. What started as helping other parents prepare for IEP and Section 504 meetings grew into a lifelong commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities are seen, heard, and included.
Today, Judith serves as the Executive Director of Project 70Forward, a Charlotte-based nonprofit dedicated to the support and advancement of people with disabilities. Through advocacy, education, financial empowerment, and community engagement, Project 70Forward works alongside individuals, families, and partner organizations to build communities where everyone belongs.
Rather than viewing nonprofit organizations as competitors, Judith believes lasting change happens through collaboration. She is known for connecting people, organizations, and ideas; building networks of support that are stronger than any one program or institution could create alone. Her philosophy is simple: no single organization can do everything, but together we can accomplish far more than any of us could alone.
An engaging speaker and facilitator, Judith weaves together personal stories, disability history, Black history, community organizing, and practical advocacy to help audiences discover the power of belonging. Whether speaking to healthcare providers, nonprofit leaders, faith communities, businesses, or civic organizations, she invites people to see disability not as a niche issue but as a community issue that affects us all.
Judith is also the creator of the Financial Empowerment for Fixed Incomes program and is currently writing her first book, a collection of stories and lessons exploring community, disability, belonging, and the quiet ways ordinary people change one anther’s lives.
Her guiding belief can be summed up in three simple phrases:
We’re Better Together.
Community is not made up of charity. Community is created by mutual responsibility and respect.
Nothing About Us Without ALL of Us.
Phone: +1 (704) 561-1134
Address (mail only): 3115 Grierton Court, Unit 8, Charlotte, NC 28205
Email: outreach@project70forward.org