Executive Director
Brief info

Alana C. Brown is an award-winning attorney who has been fighting injustice for black women survivors of domestic and sexual violence for the last ten years. Her expertise in the law has helped create a pathway for black women survivors of domestic and sexual violence to receive free legal aid services to help facilitate their healing journey.

In 2018 to further this mission, Ms. Brown started The Safe Sisters Circle to provide culturally specific, trauma informed, and holistic services for black women survivors of sexual and domestic violence living primarily in Washington DC’s Wards 7 and 8. Ms. Brown currently serves as its Founder and Executive Director.

Most recently, Ms. Brown as selected as a “2022 Washingtonian of the Year” by Washingtonian Magazine, a distinction held by community “heroes” in the Washington DC community for her work and its impact with Black women survivors in Washington DC as the Founder and Executive director of The Safe Sisters Circle.

In 2022, Ms. Brown received the National Bar Association’s Top 40 Under 40 Advocates Award for herwork with The Safe Sisters Circle and its influence on the Washington, DC legal community and her fearless advocacy for her clients.

Ms. Brown’s work has been recognized by the larger Washington, DC community in which she received the 2020 Tip the Scales Justice award presented by DVLEAP for making an unique impact in the gender based violence field in Washington, DC.

Additionally, Ms. Brown has spoken locally, and nationally to various media outlets including the Washington Post regarding the systemic issues that black women survivors of domestic and sexual violence experience as well as published articles regarding her expertise through working with Black women survivors of domestic and sexual violence, reproductive justice, and about her experience as a
Black women Executive Director and attorney in the domestic and sexual violence field.

Ms. Brown received her Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Africana Studies from New York University, and her Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Ms. Brown has been featured in the following media:

Washingtonian, “2022 Washingtonians of the Year,” Jan 2023.
https://www.washingtonian.com/2022/12/21/washingtonians-of-the-year-2022/#Alana-Brown

LEAP: A VALOR US Project Blog: “From Prosecutor to Executive Director: My Unique Path to Represent Black Women. Nov. 2022. Published by Alana Brown.
https://www.valor.us/leap/2022/12/05/from-prosecutor-to-executive-director-my-unique-path-to-represent-black-women-survivors-by-alana-brown-esq/

The Washington Post’s The Lily.  Dec 2021.
Homicide is a leading cause of death in pregnant people, a new study finds. Black women are at greatest risk.

Washington Area Women’s Foundation #AskHer Series. Oct.2021.
#AskHer Series: Alana Brown, Executive Director of The Safe Sisters Circle – Washington Area Women's Foundation Website

National Crime Victim Rights Week Feature on WHUR.  April 2021.
Supporting Victims of Crime | WHUR 96.3 FM

What is the connection between domestic violence, sexual assault, and reproductive justice and how does it impact Black women?
Published by Alana C. Brown.  Jan 2021.

My Nonprofit Life Podcast.  Nov. 2020
Supporting & Healing Black Women Survivors – Your Nonprofit Life