Sharon-Franklin Brown is a navigator of change and a recipient of the Leadership Award for her extraordinary contributions by supporting and furthering civil rights in advancing workplace diversity in an exceptional manner on behalf of the Employment Round Table of Southern California and the City of Los Angeles.

 

As Chief Human Resources Officer for the Los Angeles LGBT Center, she is responsible for managing all operations of the Human Resources Department for a staff of over 700 employees. She is celebrating 13 years with the Center and currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for Christopher Street West Association/LA Pride.

 

Sharon’s story begins in Louisiana where she grew up in the rural South in a small one stop light town in Sicily Island. Right out of high school she joined the United States Navy Reserves and served with honor while attending the University of Louisiana Monroe. During this time, Sharon began a journey of self-discovery freely expressing her true gender identity. Sharon graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Pre-Law.

 

Sharon became a national speaker on transgender rights after being terminated from Fayetteville State University, a historically black university, for being a trans-woman. Sharon was on the leading edge during her speaking engagements at colleges and universities on the importance of including gender identity and gender expression in their anti-discrimination policies. In 2010, she co-wrote the “ground breaking” recommendations for “Model Protocols – Police Interactions with Transgender Individuals” which was later adopted by the Los Angeles Police Department as policy.

 

Often questions about her 30-year journey are asked by these groups and Sharon has told them, “When I was transitioning, the resources of today, like access to healthcare and laws protecting gender identity in the workplace, were not available, it was not commonplace at the dinner table to have conversations about gender expression, and parents were not seeking out help for their gender non-conforming children. Why do I do what I do? The child in the classroom freely expressing their gender identity with a greater sense of support and confidence to be who they are.” Folks who have met Sharon know that her impact is tangible and that her incredible influence has helped to create a more diverse, inclusive and equitable society.