Interviewing Isabel Brown
By the Editorial Board
Isabel Brown is at the center of the Gen Z conservative movement. A staunch conservative, a firm supporter of President Trump, and fierce advocate for free speech, Isabel has led the charge against the radical leftism that has infiltrated our generation. Starting her own Turning Point USA chapter at Colorado State University, Isabel has fought tirelessly for conservative representation on college campuses. Isabel has inspired conservative students across America to find their voice and stand up for their beliefs. From the White House to Prager U, Isabel is making waves and breaking down barriers, proving that gen Zs are not monolithic thinkers. We could not be more excited to bring you our exclusive interview with Isabel Brown where we cover campus culture, social media activism, Democratic Socialism, and more.
You’re a rising star within the conservative movement. How did your upbringing influence your conservative beliefs? What inspired you to pursue a career in politics and become a conservative activist?
I grew up with a family who always encouraged my siblings and I to explore current events and political ideology, even if it meant we disagreed with what my parents believed. While I didn’t have a desire to work in politics while growing up, this led to a deep love of learning about policy and forming my values based on research and self reflection, so I had a strong foundation of conservative values when I started my college experience at Colorado State University. I was inspired to pursue a career in the conservative movement after my college experience, where I was confronted with extreme leftism on my campus and a near complete lack of ideological diversity. As one of the only outspoken conservatives on my campus after starting a Turning Point USA chapter, I faced the brunt of leftist backlash and was inspired to help other conservative college students on their journeys after graduation working with Turning Point USA.
In 2019, you graduated from Colorado State University, and you recently earned your Master’s degree at Georgetown University. Tell us more about your experience as a conservative on your college campus. How did you navigate the anti-conservatism and anti-Americanism that grips American universities?
I chose Colorado State University thinking I picked the “cowboy” agricultural school in Colorado, expecting a fairly conservative community where people would surely share my values and where I would feel comfortable speaking up about what I believed in. I could never have anticipated the experience I faced at CSU, however. Even in my science classes for my Biomedical Sciences degree, politics invariably found its way into my curriculum, and I often felt like the only conservative in the room in my classroom, in student government, in my dorm, and working for the Admissions Office. When I realized no one else was going to lead the fight for a conservative voice in my community, if not myself, I started a Turning Point USA chapter and instantly was a target on my campus for the radical Left. After inviting prominent speakers to campus, including Charlie Kirk, Candace Owens, and Dennis Prager, I often was called a racist, white supremacist, or misogynist. I received many death threats and threats of violence and even had the address to my apartment doxxed online in an effort to get me to back down. It was certainly scary, but also so encouraging to know the Left had been so comfortable for so long on my campus, and someone was finally effectively countering their progressive narrative. In the midst of the chaos, I stayed grounded by surrounding myself with my closest friends and family who reminded me of who I truly was— not those horrible things the Left said about me, but someone who was committed to advocating for the underdog, passionate about my beliefs, and unafraid of the Left.
You were the Founder and President of the Turning Point USA CSU chapter, and you are currently a TPUSA contributor. What inspired you to start your own TPUSA chapter on your campus? Tell us more about your experience involved with TPUSA and how your role within the organization has influenced your activism.
My journey to involvement with Turning Point USA was a surprising one—believe it or not, as a college sophomore, I had never heard of the organization or even Charlie Kirk. As I became more targeted on my campus for speaking out about my political values, I found myself scrolling through Facebook one April day to see an advertisement for TPUSA’s annual Young Women’s Leadership Summit pop up on my feed. Something in my gut told me I just had to attend, even if I didn’t know much about the conference or who was speaking outside of a handful of names.
From the first moment of that first Turning Point USA conference in June of 2017, I knew that my heart had found its home. I felt deeply connected to the mission and vision of this organization in a surprisingly strong way, and I instantly knew I had found what was missing on my college campus and in the lives of so many young people across our country. Before the conference was over, I was determined to start a chapter on my campus when we headed back to campus for the fall.
I worked as a Turning Point USA Chapter President and Campus Coordinator (a part-time staff member responsible for growing the chapter on my campus) until I graduated from college, at which point I was fortunate to receive a position with PragerU to learn more about the world of social media activism. After getting my feet wet in video production and building a social media following. I was asked to join the TPUSA Ambassador team. Ambassadors represent the brand of TPUSA and mission and vision of the organization on their social media accounts! From there, I was asked by the team at HQ to become the fifth and youngest member of the Contributor team, which is my role today! As a Contributor, I work as a Spokesperson for TPUSA and represent the work we do in traditional media through television, radio, & print interviews, giving speeches on campus and at conferences, and through digital media production. It’s my absolute dream job, and I cannot imagine doing something I love more!
In addition to your role at TPUSA, you are an independent producer for PragerU. You produce an online video series called “On the Front Lines,” where you investigate the experiences of conservative students on college campuses. What do you recommend for conservative students navigating college, as campuses become increasingly intolerant to intellectual diversity?
The first step in navigating the increasingly leftist environment of a college campus is understanding the reality of what you’re stepping into when you start your college experience. Too many college freshmen are unprepared for just how extreme the indoctrination they’ll face in their classrooms is, and without a solid foundation of their own values, they take everything their professor says as fact. By exposing young Americans to the reality of campus early on, they’ll be prepared to expose themselves to true intellectual diversity during their college experience.
As for students already on campus, I have found infinite value in being someone who speaks up when the silence of conservative values on campus is deafening. Often, the silent majority needs someone willing to be the first to speak up in order to feel confident in doing so themselves. Although it can be difficult to take the backlash from the Left for being an outspoken conservative, it is so rewarding to build a community of conservative thought on your campus.
My best advice is to find your community and get involved— whether that’s a group of friends, a class you are passionate about, or joining a club like Turning Point USA! Surrounding yourself with people who share your values can be so empowering, and it’s a fantastic way to meet people who will remain your forever friends after graduation.
We live in an era of incredible political turmoil. The rise of neo-Marxism under the guise of “Democratic Socialism” has not only infiltrated the American political system but is steadily gaining traction in American culture. How do you think conservatives can best stand up for American values?
We are living in the most divided time in our nation’s history since the Civil War. As young Americans in particular, we have been taught to avoid connecting with people who think differently from us, and the cancel culture we’re living in encourages us to shut them down entirely. The answer to this problem is not silence— it’s boldly advocating for our values in any way we can to expose our peers to different ways of thinking.
Believe it or not, you don’t need a massive social media following to influence those in your community. You can make a substantial impact among those in your life with something as simple as a tweet or posted video expressing your values. Consider taking a stand on your social media account! If social media activism isn’t your style, or you can’t post online due to the reality of cancel culture, take a friend out for coffee and talk politics!
Our country needs people who bridge the divide between different opinions now more than ever, and that starts with finding the courage to share your opinions with others. It can be frightening, at first, but I can tell you there’s nothing more rewarding!
Throughout college, you interned for the United States Senate and the White House. What were the lessons you learned working at the epicenter of American politics, and what is your recommendation for young conservatives looking to work in politics?
I loved both of my internships in government and would highly recommend any college student to consider a government internship, even if you aren’t studying political science! The skills I learned working in government prepared me for a career in any field and taught me so much about the value of public service.
Working at the White House was nothing short of a dream come true, and I miss walking through those gates on Pennsylvania Avenue every day! I was incredibly fortunate to intern during President Trump’s Presidency, and was able to see for myself just how different this administration is compared to those prior. They are truly interested in serving the American people— putting people first, rather than the government. Working in DC, I learned that many individuals are in public service and Washington for the wrong reasons— but so many are there to make a positive difference for the American people, too. It takes honest, humble people speaking up for their values and getting involved in the process for Washington to remain as it was intended by our Founding Fathers, not the DC swamp.
As for my advice for young conservatives interested in working in government, there is absolutely no harm in throwing your name into the ring for consideration for internships! Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate I would be accepted to the White House Internship Program— in fact, I was denied from another, less competitive internship in DC just weeks before I received my acceptance to the White House. You don’t have to be a Harvard political science student with a 4.0 GPA to go for your dreams— besides, the worst an internship selection committee can say is no!
What’s the best part of being a conservative activist and social media influencer? How do you handle the hate that comes along with being an outspoken conservative?
Without a doubt, the best part of working in social media advocacy is meeting all of you! It still seems surreal to me when I am recognized in airports or restaurants and people ask to take pictures together— I am much more interested in talking with you all and learning about your stories, too! I have built phenomenal relationships with people over the past year that have started on social media and blossomed into true friendships, and I am grateful for the community that social media provides through connecting like minded people from all over the world. Even though I haven’t had many opportunities to interact with all of you in person this year due to COVID-19, I am looking forward to getting to know you all as soon as possible. In the meantime, send me a DM on Instagram— I love giving advice, helping people learn more about a certain political topic, or just making new friends.
The hate, particularly online, is honestly just a part of the job. The truth is, when someone I don’t know comments something terrible on a post or sends me a vile DM, I don’t take their words to heart. Those people don’t really know who I am or what I believe, and I can’t let their false accusations impact what I see in myself. Remember this: when someone on the Left calls you a racist, white supremacist, anti-woman, transphobic, or any of the other terrible names cast upon conservatives far too often, they don’t mean those things. Name calling is the most effective thing the Left can do to scare you into silence— don’t let them! When they call you those names, they have no intellectual argument to counter your point, so you’re doing something right!
You’ve built an incredibly impressive career for yourself, and you’re only in your early twenties. What is your dream job? What can we expect to see from Isabel Brown in the coming years?
I just turned 23, and never imagined I would have so many opportunities in this world just a year after I jumped into politics! God has provided so many blessings over the past year, and I am deeply grateful for every one that comes along. I never intended to be working in this field and had no idea what to expect when I started this journey a year ago, but am so excited for whatever the future holds.
My dream job, when all is said and done, is President of the United States! As I’m only 23, however, the coming years are going to be full of other endeavors. I can’t say much today, but I can tell you behind the scenes I am working so hard on many upcoming projects! Expect a book to read in the next few months and some shows to watch on social media— I know you are all going to love what’s around the corner!
