As Washington's 19th Attorney General, a proud product of public schools, an Army veteran, and the former U.S. Attorney for Western Washington, Brown offers a deeply rooted and lived perspective on the protection of constitutional rights, the rule of law, and the defense of public institutions.

Brown will address the critical legal and societal questions facing higher education today. He will draw from his extensive career, which includes serving as general counsel to the governor, defending landmark public safety laws in complex civil litigation, and federal leadership in civil rights and public safety. Against a backdrop of increasing public distrust, cultural polarization, and shifting government actions, the lecture will examine the vital balance between individual and institutional academic freedom. Brown will explore the fundamental rights of educators, researchers, and universities to pursue truth, conduct open inquiry, and manage curricula free from institutional censorship.  

Brown will also share personal reflections on how his own education shaped his professional path from Steilacoom to Morehouse College, Harvard Law School, and the state’s highest legal office. The event will feature a keynote address followed by a Q&A session, providing attendees from both the campus and the broader Tacoma community an opportunity to engage directly in these critical democratic discussions.