Brittany Packnett Cunningham: Educating, Empowering, and Engineering a Braver Future
Brittany Packnett Cunningham is a builder. She builds courage in people. She builds movements in communities. And she builds a future where justice is not aspirational, but inevitable.
As an award-winning educator, activist, writer, and commentator, Brittany has dedicated her life to closing the gap between power and the people. Her work spans classrooms, boardrooms, protest marches, and media platforms — all with one unifying mission: to equip people with the tools and courage to make change.
She is not simply a voice for justice.
She is an architect of action.
The Educator-Activist: Teaching Courage at Scale
At the core of Brittany’s work is an unwavering belief that courage is teachable. In her acclaimed TED Talk, How to Build Your Confidence — and Spark It in Others, she dismantles the myth that confidence is innate. Instead, she lays out a framework for cultivating bravery in the face of adversity.
Her bestselling book, We Are Like Those Who Dream, expands on this philosophy — weaving personal narrative with practical strategies for collective liberation. Brittany shows her readers how to transform fear into fuel and pass that fire on to others.
Whether she’s speaking to corporate executives, grassroots organizers, or everyday citizens, Brittany’s message remains clear: courage is contagious, and building it is a radical act of resistance.
Her work empowers people to not only understand the structures of oppression but to boldly challenge them.
From Ferguson to the Frontlines of Change
Brittany Packnett Cunningham first rose to national prominence as a leader in the Ferguson uprising, following the murder of Michael Brown. But her activism long predates that moment, and it has only deepened since.
As a member of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing and an advisor to national civil rights campaigns, she has consistently pushed for systemic change at the highest levels of power.
She understands that activism is both protest and policy — a duality she masterfully navigates.
While many focus on the energy of the streets or the strategy of the boardroom, Brittany bridges both. She believes that sustainable change requires both fire and framework, passion and policy. And she brings both to every space she enters.
A Voice for Justice in Every Medium
Brittany’s influence transcends traditional activism. As the host of the critically acclaimed podcast Undistracted, she dives into conversations that explore how race, gender, and justice intersect in everyday life. Through dynamic interviews and sharp commentary, she amplifies voices often left out of mainstream narratives and sparks urgent dialogue about the future we deserve.
She also appears regularly as a political analyst and cultural critic across major media outlets, translating complex social issues into clear calls to action. Her ability to make the abstract tangible and the overwhelming actionable is part of what makes her such a vital leader.
Brittany doesn't just comment on culture — she shapes it.
Brittany Packnett Cunningham and The Machetes: A Collective of Courage
Brittany’s power is amplified even further through her role as a founding member of The Machetes — a revolutionary collective of ten fearless women, each committed to dismantling systems of oppression and building ecosystems of empowerment.
Alongside Angela Rye, Joy Reid, Tiffany Cross, Jemele Hill, LaTosha Brown, Errin Haines, Alicia Garza, Cari Champion, and Sunny Hostin, Brittany is part of a sisterhood that sharpens each other's voices and multiplies their impact.
The Machetes are not just a media project — they are a movement of transformative power. They do not wait for permission to lead. They take the reins, craft their own narratives, and build platforms where truth reigns supreme.
Within The Macheteverse, Brittany’s educator-activist ethos finds a perfect home. Her work to build courage becomes fuel for the collective’s broader mission: to cut through misinformation, challenge oppressive systems, and lead communities toward liberation.
Her ability to transform fear into action strengthens the very spine of The Machetes. Together, they are not just commentators of change — they are the creators of it.
The Road Ahead: Building Brave Spaces, Together
Brittany Packnett Cunningham is proof that courage, once sparked, spreads like wildfire. Her relentless commitment to education, empowerment, and action reminds us that bravery is not a destination but a daily practice.
As she continues to build courageous communities and challenge the structures of power, Brittany’s impact reverberates far beyond her individual platform. With The Machetes beside her, that impact becomes a force of unstoppable collective power.
Together, they are not just preparing people to face the future — they are actively building it.
