Rodney Brooks has been effectively working in the Bay Area’s political and community organizing arenas since 1985. Before joining the Brotherhood, he occupied numerous leadership roles including managing local political campaigns, implementing dropout prevention initiatives, and staffing County Supervisor Keith Carson for 22 years; the last 12 as Chief of Staff. Currently, as the Executive Programs Coordinator, Rodney is the liaison to various communities, provides inter-governmental communications and budget analysis for the Alameda County Public Defender. As a result of his tenure, Mr. Brooks is cognizant of how poorly conceived county government programs disrupt the fabric of our communities of color. A problem which is often amplified by not centering community leaders in the planning and evaluation processes. As Co-Chair of the Politics Committee, Rodney is the architect of Real Talk About the Town, a political forum sponsored by the Brotherhood of Elders which reaches beyond traditional boundaries and requires candidates running for office to address the deeply rooted issues facing the African American Community. A graduate of the prestigious Hunter College High School in New York City and the University of California at Berkeley, Rodney has spent much of his professional career “unlearning” the lessons of his formal education and has developed a thirst for bringing indigenous community solutions to the chambers of local government. Feeding his passion for New York and Bay Area sports teams, playing tennis, and enjoying various genres of music is how he likes to spend his free time.
Rodney Brooks
