Quotes from Aja Brown

I think - everything just in the political realm - women are usually perceived to be more trustworthy and compassionate. And they usually fare well against their male counterpart.

It's almost hip to, you know, be from Brooklyn or to live in Brooklyn.

People are taking a second look at Compton or rethinking what they believed to be true. Even the rap stars who helped established Compton's reputation worldwide are older now, and even their images have evolved.

I believe Kendrick Lamar is not only an artist but an influencer of an entire generation. He represents Compton with great pride, and I am honored to present him with the Key to the City, which symbolizes our deep appreciation for his philanthropic work and commitment to our community.

My husband is actually biracial. He is Caucasian and African American. And my brother's fiance is Latina. So we have a colorful family.

I think there is always room for improvement.

I research best practices and recipes for success and failure to craft personalised policies for my city.

There's always some difference between your Latino and African-American communities. But we definitely have more similarities than differences.

I didn't have a traditional college experience. I didn't have a social aspect to it. I was always involved in working and going to school.

It's all about making sure kids can have access to educational opportunities... you may not need a necessarily traditional college environment, but access to trades and employment development.

I was raised by a single mother. We were definitely below the median income of our area.

I dedicated my career to really working in under-served communities and really just being in the trenches.

I think Dr Dre really evolved and really is a great role model for young people that have had to survive and thrive against all odds. He was able to turn his life around and create an empire and become a successful family person.

The majority of people, especially young people, know Dr. Dre because of Beats by Dre, not necessarily from him being a rap artist.

The Resource Center will be able to map all of the resources in and around the Compton community while providing customized assistance that will be a vital asset to improving our ability to service our youth, adults, and families.

We all have a social responsibility and have to be mindful of what we do and say.

There's so many opportunities, economically and socially, and just the location advantage and all the great institutions that are here, that this community is definitely poised for a huge revival. And so, when I think about Compton, I think about redemption.

I'm very tough. Come to a council meeting, and you'll see it.

We're asking that the Compton citizens have a zero tolerance policy against violence.

The only difference between Compton and other cities is the ZIP Code, you know, and the mindset - it's just really about challenging people to take ownership of our community.

When we look at the investment decisions into the city of Compton, the small business community and global corporations and retailers and all of those types of services that decide to come into the community to serve it, they look at the perception, how does the brand work with the local community.

I know what it takes to move cities forward. It's not about rhetoric and great speaking, but it takes relationships.

From a planning perspective, I thought Compton was phenomenal. It has a huge potential to be a great city, and I always bet on the underdog.

I've always understood that, as a woman and as a person of color, I would always have to work harder; I would have to have thicker skin. I would have to be more mindful of my reactions, the way I spoke to people.