This page is dedicated with love to the memory of
my mother, Martha Shepard Brown Hicks, and my stepfather, Fred Hicks,
who were my biggest moral supporters, and who always hear my voice.

 

I initially created this site for the purpose of work and career. But lately have begun to truly appreciate that my life isn't only that. There are extraordinary accomplishments that members of my family have made, and I am just as pleased to boast and post those as my own. Life is more than just "give me a job." 

I don't expect industry professionals to log onto this page. It is most dearly for those who know me personally, maybe even know my family, and therefore have some interest in their well-being.  Though all are welcomed. 

 

 

___________________________________________________

OUR FAMILY

 

 

The Brown-Hicks-Thomas clan is large and diverse, and splits so many ways that the family tree resembles more of a banyan than an oak.

My only niece, Dr. Chippewa Thomas, of Tuskegee, Alabama, has been holding powerful court as a professor in the department of special education, rehabilitation and counseling at Auburn University.  I am incredibly proud to announce that she just received tenure, and is not an Associate Professor.  As president of the Alabama Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development, she was recently featured in an article on child literacy.  Click here to read the article: The Auburn Plainsman. 

Sister Pam Brown of Atlanta, Georgia, is living in her dream house, a fabulous spread of digs that I had the pleasure to visit for the first time a few Christmases ago. Her home is an Architectural Digest wonder, reflecting an elegance, class, and extraordinary aesthetic that she no doubt got form our dear mother, who was always the epitome of taste. Pam passionately collects art and artifacts to keep creating stunning statements of beauty in her home.  And she is still shaking things up as a project manager for IBM.   In fact, she recently headed a project of creating an informercial for a new cutting edge electronic control book.  So, now she can add "producer of commercials" to her resume. And 2010 marked 25 years for her there. Gold watch time!

Brother Michael Brown (for whom I wrote the song An Old Black Man Someday) has been honored by the city of Los Angeles for twenty years of devoted volunteer service to the Department of Parks and Recreations, as a Little League coach.  AND...his team just won the championship. He is making a difference in the lives of young inner city boys. 

Brothers Andrew Brown (another ACB) and Arman Brown are both students at Cal State Fullerton. Arman has chosen nursing as his major. And Andrew has shown interest in the area of the body-mind-spirit, healing, and self-help industry.

My father, the acclaimed artist Ted Brown, who has created works and portraitures for President Clinton, the NASA space program (for which he was known for his photo-like renderings), and national ad agencies, and whose portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. hung on every wall across America a few decades ago, is happily retired, but still being creative. He designed the graphic layout for my CD The Slow Club, and I was absolutely thrilled to finally collaborate with him. Here's just a sampling of his amazing work. 

The Art of Ted Brown

 

And he isn't the only creative one in the family. Step-mom Afi Brown continues to create elegant gift baskets for her company Afi's Gifts.

           

If you're interested in a basket, send Afi an email @ afibrn@roadrunner.com.  She'll be happy to show you a catalog.  These baskets are awesome!

 

 

 

 

 

___________________________________________________

CELEBRATIONS

 

 

 

In February, The Brown Family celebrated a much anticipated birthday extravaganza for patriarch Ted Brown's  80th birthday! Eternally youthful, buoyant, and sharp, he got to have a grand party that was ridiculous! There was a live band, much dancing, much laughter, too much food and drink, people from every walk of Ted's  life, all convening to celebrate his milestone. There was also the reunion of family (my sister and niece flew in from Georgia and Alabama respectively) who haven't seen each other in years, which did all our hearts GOOD!  

 

Here's a little tribute video that was made in honor of the big day, and of the beautiful legacy that is Ted's life.    And also a capturing of the Main Event itself!

   

 

Ted Brown's 80th Birthday Tribute
 

 

The Party

 

  

 

 

 

 

And on this past Fourth of July weekend, The Shepards (my mother's side) once again hosted our family reunion in St. Louis, MO, assembling together five generations of family from all over the U.S. and even as far away as China.  This marked my first time in attendance, and it was an extraordinary experience, communing with family, most of whom I'd either not seen since childhood, or had never met.  

 

My cousin Carol Cole of Wichita organizes the event every year with my sister Pam and my niece Chippewa. Cousin Janelle has created a MySpace page for the Shepard Family. Check it out!  It's free to sign up. And coming soon will be a photo montage of the 3-day event. 

 

What an amazing weekend it was!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

___________________________________________________

MEMORIES

 

 

For some classic photos of my mother, father, sister, brothers, and me (in Buster Brown shoes, no less!), from 1957 through the present, check out the Brown Family Homepage

 

From the deepest center of my heart, I am honored to be a part of this family, both my immediate and my extended, and I thank you for viewing this page. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll leave you with a little no-nonsense wisdom from the 2-year-old Andrew.