TRIBUTES

Ozzie Brown

By W. Calvin Anderson   July 8, 2011

A gentle giant.
A strong tropical river
with human gleaning,
and zest baring
Sun-Smiles
and, advice creating cool retreats.
His friendship was like oil paint
colors and gentle proverbs and Caribbean cooking sporting
broad shoulders like this country’s great oaks.
Ozzie brought strength and assurances that wisdom can flow and harmony stand.
Ecclesiastes says, “God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
Ozzie Brown brought people
strength and assurances that
wisdom could flow and
harmony could stand
in the seasons
and cities that we live
looking for beauty and rivers,
shade,  shoulders and trees
Caribbean cooking;
harmony
and wisdom.

——————————-——————————-

For My True ‘Soul Brother’ Ozzie Brown (Osbourne Mackenly Brown)

April 21, 1944 (Plowden, Jamaica) – July 7, 2011 (Bronx, NY)

I met Ozzzie June of 1975 in Central Park, on the same night I saw
and

met Bob Marley for the first time. We became fast friends; in fact,

in Ozz, I had found my ‘soul’ brother in NYC. At the time, he was

managing Taj Mahal. He later would be the production end of Peter

Tosh’s management during the Equal Rights album recordings.
Although

I met Peter in Jamaica in October of 1975, during NASABA’S
“Holiday

Jamaica Week”, which featured the “Dream Concert”, it was Ozz who

introduced me both to Earl “Wia” Lindo, an original Wailer, (my

Jamaican ‘brother’) – and to my long time friend Herbie Miller,

Peter’s manager. Herbie took me to Bob’s Hope Road home for the first

time in August of 1975. Because of Ozzie, I have two photographs on

the Equal Rights album and he arranged for me to spend time hanging

out with Tosh in Jamaica, April of 1977. He was there part of that

time too. That first day, Ozz drove as we followed speedy Peter in his

green Hillman Hunter down the highway, to market and beyond.
Many

times, Ozz & I would drive around and hang out with with Peter in

NYC.

Upon Ozzie’s military discharge after service in the Vietnam War, he

entered the film and music industry. He was a producer of the iconic

film on the Ali / Forman fight in Zaire, Africa. He was able to employ

several African- American film crews, a breakthrough opportunity at

the time. He produced and directed the CACE INTERNATIONAL TV
show

which was nominated for a CEBA Award (Zora Neale Hurston). He
directed

three shows in the Jimi Hendrix Series ( The Aleem Twins), among

others. He was a guest on Part One of The Legends In Reggae–Bob

Marley & Peter Tosh show.

His talents stretched much farther than the arts; as a contractor, Ozz

was an alchemist. The dingiest kitchen or bathroom would become a
work

of art. He never advertised, and his clients became lifetime friends.

He was very close to Ozzie Davis, Ruby Dee and their family; in fact,

I was the maid of honor at his wedding in the garden of their home.

A community activist, appointed in 2002 by Bronx Borough
President,

Adolfo Carrion, Ozz served as First Vice-Chair of Community Board 7

even continuing to serve until his passing. Having raised four sons,

his heart remained with the youth of the Bronx. His focus was was to

develop jobs and business opportunity for the people of the Bronx. He

also worked diligently with the Kidney Foundation.

His seeking spirit found a home in Nichiren Buddhism in 1998. He

served , in the Bronx, as Vice Region Leader of the Soka Gakkai

International, a lay Buddhist organization.

Ozzie’s infectious smile, his empathetic manner, his genuine concern

for others, and his articulate, thought-provoking manner of speaking

remain embedded in my mind . I see us now, walking and talking with

his hand resting on one of my shoulders…he was shorter than

me…buddies through time.

Ozzie Brown’s purposes for being here, in his own words: “was to

polish my life…through the people I engage on a daily basis, through

my work. They are a part of my support team. For example, the
people

that one engages in daily life, the circumstances that come about,

those interactions help me polish my life and reveal my true identity.

They become my students, my teachers, and my mentors.”

Walk good sweet brother, you are in my open heart forever….until
we
meet again prayerfully in the Light of Fourth Density.
One Love, One Heart.

Your sister,

Fikisha

Ozzie was a philosopher, mentor, mentee, surrogate big brother, loving husband and devoted father, community activist, civil rights activist, artist, friend and all-around wonderful guy with a truly big heart.
I first met Ozzie during my time at the Bronx Borough President’s Office. At the time I knew he was friends with Adolfo and that he and his family had lived in the same building with the Carrions and that their kids were friends. What I didn’t know is that he and I had other connections as well. He was from Jamaica, in the West Indies, just like my parents. In fact, it turned out that my brother and Ozzie’s in-laws were neighbors and great friends back in London. It also turned out that I knew Ozzie’s wife Donna for years and that Donna had grown up with my nieces and nephews in England. Also, Ozzie, Donna and Malik were frequent visitors to the same Florida town where my parents, Donna’s parents and my brother Hugh and his wife Gertrude all lived. What a coincidence!
But all of those serendipitous connections only served to make it easier for me to get to know the outstanding, loving and generous man that was Ozzie Brown. We worked on a few projects together, raising money for hurricane relief, designing a new entrance for the office, producing a diabetes prevention forum and reinvigorating and reinventing community board 7, all of which Ozzie selflessly committed himself to. He never once asked what was in it for him. He always found the time to pull himself away from whatever he was doing to show up when he was needed, day or night.
But what I will remember Ozzie for above all else is his love for people. He loved his family dearly, always making sure that they were taken care of both materially and spiritually. No matter what Ozzie was doing, Malik and Donna were always in his thoughts and heart. He made sure that Malik was dropped off and picked up from school daily. He brought Malik with him to meetings to be sure that they spent time together and that Malik was exposed to the great expanse of interesting and stimulating people that Ozzie knew. He fiercely supported Donna’s career, making sure that she had all she needed to excel as a school leader and a mother.
He loved his community. He served on Community Board 7 in many leadership capacities, working tirelessly on issues like the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory, the development of the Van Cortlandt water filtration plant and the transformation of the community board into a relevant and vital partner in city government. His goals were never about self-aggrandizement, but about making the lives of people better.
He loved his friends. Ozzie spent many many hours quietly helping his friends when they were in need. Whether it was doing construction work on someone’s home or helping a neighbor with child care or working on political campaigns or being a shoulder to lean on when times were rough, Ozzie was always there, with his strength, wisdom and optimistic vision. He believed that all people could be great and he did all he could to support his friends in finding their greatness.
For me, he was a mentor and constant source of support. He would call at random times just to say hello and find out how I was doing. Even after I left public life, Ozzie never let me go. He continued to stay connected and to let me know that he cared about me and my welfare. He was the big brother I wanted and after my father died, the source of paternal guidance that I needed. I will never forget Ozzie and am only sorry that I didn’t get to spend more time being exposed to his wisdom and care.
Ozzie was a unique man who shined his light of love in every corner and on everyone he encountered, and his indelible impact will be felt on the planet for many years to come.

Earl Brown