Lawrence T. Brown is a scholar, equity scientist, and urban Afro-futurist.  His first book The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America was published by Johns Hopkins University Press in January 2021.  The Black Butterfly was the #1 selling book in 2021 at three independent bookstores in the city: Urban Reads Bookstore, Greedy Reads, and Red Emma’s Bookstore Coffeehouse.

Dr. Brown is currently working as a research scientist in the new Center for Urban Health Equity, where he is leading the Black Butterfly Rising Initiative which aims to make Black neighborhoods matter.  This initiative will feature innovative mapping/data products, a history exhibit, a reading club, and community convenings.  He is working on his next book tentatively titled Building the Abolition Democracy.