She is executive producer of the web series The Next Question and the author of I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness (2018), which became a New York Times bestseller following the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests.
[3] Brown was given the name 'Austin' after her grandmother's maiden name, because her parents thought that it would improve her chances of employment later in life, if on paper she had a name that sounded like one of a white man.
[8] Brown has frequently delivered speeches and lectures at universities, churches, and festivals across the US on issues of racism and social justice.
[9] She has previously worked for non-profit organizations tackling systemic issues of American social life such as homelessness[10] and youth engagement.
[7] In December 2024 Oakland University awarded Brown a Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa.