About Celia Brown (1952 – 2022) 

Celia Brown was a psychiatric survivor and long-time advocate for people with psychiatric disabilities. She was the President of MindFreedom International, and she co-founded Surviving Race: The Intersection of Race, Disability and Human Rights Coalition. She was a Regional Advocacy Specialist for the Bureau of Recipient Affairs at the NYC Field Office of the New York State Office of Mental Health for many years. Celia facilitated training on peer supervision, wellness, and recovery approaches in community mental health agencies. She was one of the first Peer Specialists in New York State and was instrumental in developing and implementing the Peer Specialist Civil Service title for the New York State Office of Mental Health. 

A field school graduate of the Center to Study Recovery in Social Contexts, Celia was a member of the Advisory committee for the Center for Practice Innovations. Celia served on NARPA's board of directors for many years. She was a founder of the International Network Toward Alternatives and Recovery (INTAR). She has presented nationally and internationally on topics such as self-help, peer counseling, advocacy, trauma and cultural competency.