Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandy Taylor.
Hi Brandy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey began in the heartbeat of community — listening deeply, witnessing struggle, and being deeply moved by the resilience of everyday people, especially children and families navigating unjust systems. I didn’t set out to become a movement strategist or nonprofit leader. Instead, I let purpose guide each next step, even when the path wasn’t clear.
As a young adult, I mentored pregnant and parenting teens and supported children from under-resourced communities. If someone was considered marginalized or overlooked, I wanted to connect — not out of saviorism, but solidarity. Along the way, I learned that true empowerment doesn’t come from speaking for others, but from creating spaces where people — especially young people — can speak for themselves.
That shift in perspective led to one of my most meaningful early projects: co-hosting a youth mental health symposium. We brought together parents, caregivers, and community partners to equip families with tools to support their children’s mental well-being, while youth participated voluntarily in focus groups to share their own perspectives. It was a powerful moment of intergenerational dialogue, healing, and learning.
This commitment to amplifying young people’s voices opened the door to a full-circle moment in my career: I was hired as the Texas State Director for the Children’s Defense Fund — the very organization where I had interned 12 years earlier. I had often wondered how I would find my way back to this powerful movement of children, youth, parents, and advocates. It turns out, the journey had been preparing me all along.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m intentional about using the word opportunities — because even the challenges have shaped me. My journey has been a road full of meaning.
Working in social justice means navigating systems that weren’t built for equity — and in many cases, weren’t built for care at all. I’ve carried the weight of urgent deadlines stacked on top of the emotional toll that comes with working in communities shaped by generations of inequity. I’ve faced the challenge of rallying under-resourced communities while preserving their dignity, and the weight of being one of the few voices in the room advocating for systemic change.
But along the way, I’ve learned how to lead with joy, how to center healing within the work, and how to surround myself with people who remind me that I don’t carry this alone. That, quite honestly, has been one of the most meaningful parts of the journey — knowing I am not in this by myself.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to child and family well-being — especially for those navigating systems that were not built with them in mind. I’m a trained school psychologist with over 16 years of experience in education, including five years as a charter school leader and two years as part of the senior leadership team at an educational assessment firm. But more than titles, what defines my work is a through-line of advocacy — a consistent focus on advancing equity, shifting systems, and creating space for community voice at every table.
I specialize in mental wellness strategies, youth leadership development, and analyzing policies to shape programs that uplift historically under-resourced communities. My background has allowed me to work at multiple levels — from greeting students at the bus stop at 6:30 a.m. in Kelly green chucks, to meeting with city officials and community leaders in heels by night. I’m equally comfortable in the community as I am in policy spaces, and I see that as a strength.
I’m most honored by the opportunity to bring others along with me — helping young people find and use their voice, mentoring emerging leaders, and creating space for families and advocates to shape the systems that impact them. My early work with the Children’s Defense Fund–Texas as a Youth Development Associate shaped so much of my advocacy lens. Now, returning as State Director is a full-circle moment that reaffirms what sets me apart: I bring experience, empathy, and executive vision — but I never lose sight of the community that fuels it all.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I welcome opportunities to collaborate with individuals and organizations who are committed to advancing equity, joy, and justice for children and families. Whether you’re a community leader, policymaker, educator, or advocate — if you’re working to create systems that honor dignity and expand access, then we’re already aligned.
People can work with me through advocacy campaigns, storytelling initiatives, policy analysis, and community-centered programming. I value partnerships rooted in trust, shared vision, and a willingness to lead with both strategy and heart.
The work is always better when we do it together — and I’m honored to build with others who are just as passionate about turning purpose into impact.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
FAVR Magazine
National Association of School Psychologists
