Yumeka Brown is a proud native of the Roseland community and the Southland of Chicago. She currently resides in Matteson with her husband Corey and son Kahlil.
A simple notion of getting more involved in the community and a push from her brother led her to run for the office of Village Clerk in December 2016. Yumeka was elected as Village Clerk in April 2017. As Clerk, she is the keeper of municipal records, custodian of the corporate seal, serves as the local election official, processes Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and issues special events permits and business licenses. While serving as Clerk, Yumeka saw more opportunities to contribute to the improvement of her community. She became involved in the Rich Township Democratic Organization, where she currently serves as President.
Yumeka holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and is a 2020 graduate of the Illinois Women in Leadership Training Academy (iWILTA).
Yumeka is a 20+ year non-profit Certified Association Executive (CAE). She is currently employed as the Senior Director, Governance and Operations for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM). She loves her job because she enjoys working to create exceptional boards through her governance experience. She also enjoys working with professionals who work hard to set a standard of care in Hospice and Palliative Care medicine. Yumeka is also a small business owner, where she owns and operates Redwood Luxe restaurant in Olympia Fields, IL.
It was during Yumeka’s employment with the Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources with the American Bar Association, where she developed a keen interest in environmental law, resources, and the Clean Water Act.
However, in 2018, Yumeka’s family was heavily impacted when her son contracted an environmental illness that nearly took his life. He has since fully recovered, but the idea that this could happen to someone else’s family has ignited a fire in Yumeka to protect not only her son but other children and families. This experience and her work in the nonprofit sector have ignited her desire to “give back” to underserved and marginalized communities.
Yumeka understands first-hand how vital clean water and the air is to our communities, and her goal is to fight for equitable and healthy communities across Cook County! Yumeka is committed to fighting for residents in every corner of Cook County because the issues vary from one end to the next, and representation is critical.
For more information visit: https://yumeka4water.com/
