10/21/2025
We are proud to recognize Tae Brown as a recipient of the WNC Racial Equity Mental Health Graduate School Award, a distinction granted to individuals committed to advancing racial and social justice through mental health advocacy and service in Western North Carolina.
This award will help support Tae’s studies as he begins his Master of Social Work program at the University of Michigan, with plans to return to Hendersonville, NC to serve folks in need of mental health care.
A first-generation college graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill, Tae brings more than a decade of community service and grassroots advocacy to his clinical work. From mentoring high school students through his self-founded S.W.A.G. program, to serving as a Success Coach for adult learners, Terrell has consistently demonstrated his belief in the power of connection, education, and resilience.
Deeply shaped by his personal experiences with social isolation, racial profiling, and generational trauma, Tae is committed to building a new model of care, one that integrates emotional, mental, and physical health under one roof. Together with his best friend, currently completing a pediatric residency, Tae envisions creating a “one-stop shop” for underserved families
and children, where holistic and identity-affirming care is the standard, not the exception.
His clinical interests span prenatal care, childhood development, adult mental health, and veteran services, with a special focus on pro bono work for communities that are often left behind by traditional systems of care.
Through a blend of public service, professional leadership, and lived experience, Tae is poised to make a lasting impact in Western North Carolina and beyond. His work reminds us that resilience is not only personal; it becomes collective when we are in service to others."
