Richard Brookshire is a multi-hyphenate storyteller and reparationist working at the intersection of politics and culture. A nationally recognized political communications strategist known for creating impactful social campaigns, Richard is also a former U.S. Army Combat Medic and veteran of the War in Afghanistan. He is the co-founder and CEO of the Black Veterans Project – an organization driving legal strategies, research, public education and multi-media storytelling to make reparations for Black veterans and their families real.
Richard’s writing has been featured in TheGrio, The Root, and AfroPunk, and his commentary and work have been highlighted by The New York Times, The Washington Post, PBS Newshour, CNN, NBC News, NPR, and the Southern Poverty Law Center. He holds an MPA in Urban and Social Policy from Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs and a BA in Political Science from Fordham University. He spent his freshman year at Morehouse College before enlisting in the military.
Recognized as ‘One to Watch’ by The Haitian Roundtable in 2017, named one of Native Son’s 101 ‘Black Gay Men Who Make An Impact’ in 2020, he is the recipient of the 2022 Veterans Justice Award by Senator Richard Blumenthal and the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center and the 2024 Unsung Hero Award by Black Veterans for Social Justice. Richard is currently Creative Producer for ‘Just Call Me Lucki,’ a forthcoming documentary about a soldier’s attempt to stop the worst military intelligence failure in American history, selected as a finalist for The Stay Indie Project. He resides in Washington D.C.