Aliya Brown
Aliya Brown began her career in marketing and promotions over 30 years ago as an intern for Columbia Records. Recognized for her ability to set trends and influence a peer group in the ‘90s, she soon found herself as the National College Radio Representative with Sony Music. Long before streaming platforms, college radio was the inlet where a recording artist would gain their first listen and nod of approval from DJs and the college community. Aliya was at the forefront of promoting some of the most legendary artists during their recording premieres including the Fugees, Nas, Xscape, Destiny’s Child, Maxwell, Robin Thicke, and John Legend to name a few.
Passionate about seeing young people succeed and live out their dreams, Aliya, a mother of two sons, became an advocate for families vested in providing quality education for their children. As President of the Community Education Council of District 16 in Bedford Stuyvesant during the NYC Board of Education’s inaugural year for CEC’s in 2003, she championed changes to how school leaders engaged with parents and collaborated to establish new policies. Aliya Brown received a Citation from then Brooklyn Borough President, Marty Markowitz for her outstanding work on the council. Continuing her parental involvement she further served three years as a representative for her eldest son’s Class of 2017 at the college preparatory Waldorf School of Garden City.
Aliya has been privy to the realities of parenting a child with a different learning style and sought out the right educational fit for her son, artist, Amir Diop who has dyslexia. What turned out to be a timely transfer of schools for Amir, ultimately aided in developing his exceptional processing skills in other areas, to become the foundation of his noted artwork.
As co-founder of Diop Studios, Aliya continues her enthusiasm for working with pioneering creatives who are committed to their craft and determined to deliver positive messages and experiences while educating globally through their work.