By day, you might find Brittany L. Wright convening a group of policymakers to discuss kids’ access to outdoor activities; at night, she’s likely to be galvanizing crowds—and propelling another Minnesota Lynx victory—on her turntables at Target Center.

Wright (B.A., ‘14) couldn’t have visualized this kind of future for herself 15 years ago, when she was a struggling U of M freshman.

“I fell into a pretty heavy depression,” Wright recalls, fueled in part by the sexual assault of her roommate during Welcome Week. Wright found herself contemplating suicide. “It was a very tragic, very traumatic moment. And I’m seeing in real time how our legal system does not protect survivors,” Wright says. “And I’m seeing [my roommate’s] mental health take a significant [hit], and I’m trying to balance being an adult, and finances, and family things, friend things. I crashed.”

That experience—and her ensuing difficulty navigating the mental health care system—shaped Wright’s life path. While she was eventually able to find the care she needed, Wright wants to make that journey easier for all young Minnesotans and their families.

Today the Minnesota native, a daughter of St. Paul’s historic Rondo community, works with various government efforts to champion children's health and well-being. Wright studied sociology with an emphasis in law, criminology, and deviance, minoring in African and African American Studies. Last year, CLA honored her with an Emerging Alumni Award.

Wright is especially passionate about maternal and child health and mental health. In her role, she advocates for kids, families, and communities, and fosters coordination across levels of government, hospitals, health systems, and other sectors. Much of her work focuses on “upstream, preventative” efforts, Wright says: “Everything from pregnancy and postpartum—making sure there are screenings in pregnancy and infancy—and thinking proactively about early childhood mental health.” And she’s committed to removing barriers, “especially for kids who [need] deep end services: kids who exhibit aggression, kids who need inpatient care, kids who are justice involved.”

It can be dispiriting. In the U.S. health care system, “It’s like we’re punishing people [and their families] for not being well,” Wright says. “Even if they’re doing everything, all of their due diligence, to get care.” Sometimes, she adds, “there’s simply not care available. Or it’s the financial burden, or the administrative burden. The system can make it virtually impossibleto receive the care people need.”

Protecting Black moms and children

Wright’s dedication to promoting maternal and child health is personal. Her parents divorced when she was small; for a time, Wright and her mother—a survivor of domestic violence—lived in a St. Paul homeless shelter. After her mother remarried during Wright’s adolescence, Wright became a big sister at 15 (and again at 19). Her mother’s pregnancies were complicated by preeclampsia, and Wright saw firsthand how uniquely dangerous childbirth can be for Black mothers and infants.

While U.S. maternal and infant mortality rates are higher than those of other industrialized countries, they’re markedly worse for Black families: babies born to Black moms are more than twice as likely to die as babies born to white moms. And Black mothers are more than three times as likely to die due to pregnancy-related causes as white mothers. More than half of those deaths are preventable.

In 2018, about to give birth to her own baby, Wright felt sick. Initially, she says, hospital staff didn’t believe her; many hours into labor, she was found to have a high fever. A year later she shared her story in a podcast series, and Minnesota Rep. Ruth Richardson tapped Wright to testify for passage of the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, which aims to close racial disparities in maternal health care.

The law passed in 2021.

“It really showed the power of narrative,” Wright says, and it helped her discover a passion for advocacy. “I get to be the professional that the U of M prepared me to be. I get to flex my facilitation and my public speaking skills.”

Well-rounded education

Wright’s time at the University was packed with extracurricular activities, and she counts them as critical to her success. She became involved in the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence and a student group called Black Motivated Women. And she joined Voices Merging, a student-run performing arts group. “It was a blast,” Wright recalls.

“At the time, we ran the largest open mics in the state—a bunch of college students doing this essentially for free. We were cultivating ourselves as artists and connecting with students from other campuses, as well as [other] up-and-coming artists who came to our workshops and conferences.

“I learned a lot about throwing events, organizing, writing, facilitation through that student organization. It played a significant role in shaping me as a leader and a creative,” Wright continues.

Another formative U of M experience for Wright was taking a class called Tracing the Footsteps of Social Change in Cape Town, South Africa. She also volunteered in several capacities, and joined Zeta Phi Beta, Inc., a historically Black sorority.

In college, “I didn’t know I was neurodivergent, didn’t know I had dyslexia and ADHD. I struggled a lot academically, and I didn’t always feel like I fit in," she says. “The student groups are really what kept me anchored, supported me, and [helped me realize], OK, I am good at some things.”

The self-described “music nerd” hosts and produces a radio show at Minneapolis radio station KFAI, and got into live event DJing at a friend’s wedding. Music is a cornerstone of mental health and wellness, she says: one of her “green flags.”

“Now, I DJ for the Lynx, the Twins, and the Wolves,” and at campaign events, including the Harris-Walz campaign. “I really love music, and I love seeing people respond and find their joy.”

If you liked these stories, Minnesota Alumni magazine publishes four times a year highlighting U of M alumni and University activities. Early access to stories and a print subscription are benefits of being an Alumni Association member. Join here to receive a printed copy at home.