Browniesha Blackman

Browniesha Blackman has been a caring advocate all her life, but growing up in Compton, she felt powerless as she watched her city struggle to unite. Browniesha knew she wanted to build strong relationships in her community, but as a mother of three with a daughter who would soon graduate high school, Browniesha thought it was too late and costly to get a college education. Little did she know Compton College had everything she needed to succeed.

"I took this career education journey to become a better advocate for my community," says Browniesha, who graduated in 2019 with an associate degree in Social and Behavioral Science.

"I remember feeling exhausted and overwhelmed from balancing school and caring for my son with special needs," Browniesha says. "My English professor, Dr. Juarez, offered helpful support services and encouraged me to achieve my degree."

Compton's Social Sciences Guided Pathway program expanded Browniesha's understanding of how members of diverse societies operate as individuals and within social groups. In the program, social and behavioral sciences courses help students develop awareness and think critically about how people act and interact socially in cultural contexts. After graduation, students can start dynamic careers or transfer to four-year universities to study psychology, criminal justice, child development, economics, political science, and more.

Today, Browniesha is a minister, life coach, and mentor who wants to become a family therapist. Founder of TransformUrLyfe Coaching and Consulting and Free-Ur-Heart Ministries, Browniesha guides patrons to transformative healing and empowerment through workshops and seminars that encourage others to face adversity head-on and break through the personal barriers that are holding them back. 

"The best part of social sciences is discovering the cause-and-effect relationship between your motivation and behavior," explains Browniesha, who is also the author of the Amazon international bestseller, Metamorphosis: The Transformation, a transparent memoir chronicling the traumatic experiences of her life and how they transformed those difficulties into purpose. "[My education] inspired me to be creative, reflect, and write about what I was learning."

In addition to the support she received from her professors, Browniesha took advantage of academic and career support services offered in Compton's Student Service Office. She received financial assistance to buy books, school supplies, and academic tutoring to help during her most challenging semesters. Student support services provided Browniesha with a network of resources that would guarantee her success.

"My college offered me the support that I didn't know I needed," Browniesha says.

To students interested in community advocacy, building networks, and promoting resources for social support, Browniesha says, "Don't knock it before you try it. This program will change your life."