Brown Only HBCU Student Selected for Invite-Only Tribal Innovation Summit

Alabama A&M University graduate student Claudis Brown will represent the University on a national stage later this month as a featured speaker at the Tribal Innovation Summit, an invitation only conference focused on advancing technology readiness in Tribal and Indigenous communities across the United States.

Brown, a master’s student in systems and materials engineering, is the only student from an HBCU selected to participate in the summit, joining peers from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The event will be held Feb. 24–26, 2026, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Brown is an Afro-Native Freedman of the Sovereign Cherokee Nation.

“I am proud to be an Afro-Native American,” said Brown. “I am a part of the literal genetic make-up of an Indigenous American. On the shoulders of my ancestry, I am able to stand firmly in excellence. I shall continue to lead my family, my people, and my future generations in greatness. God is faithful.”

Brown’s invitation to speak stemmed from his success in the Adobe CLOUDS competition, a yearlong leadership and digital skills initiative for Indigenous students pursuing STEM. CLOUDS, which stands for Cultivating Leadership Opportunities and Uplifting Digital Skills, is hosted by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and supported by the Adobe Foundation. The competition included regional and national rounds in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

After winning the regional competition, Brown advanced to the national stage at the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) National Conference, where his presentation on artificial intelligence caught the attention of Cherokee Nation tribal leader Paula Starr. Through the program, Adobe awarded Brown a complimentary subscription to its software suite, covered travel expenses, provided stipends and offered access to multiple Adobe digital certifications. Brown, a member of the program’s inaugural cohort, has since been encouraged to apply as a mentor for the upcoming year.

“As I looked around the room, I realized I was the only African American present,” Brown said. “Before my team presented, I was nervous and had already accepted defeat. Even so, I was grateful for the experience. When our team was announced as the regional first-place winner, I couldn’t believe it. In that moment, I knew my purpose in STEM was even greater.”

At the Tribal Innovation Summit, Brown will discuss the growing role of artificial intelligence in the modern world and its potential to benefit academia, government, and tribal communities nationwide. The summit, typically hosted annually, is designed to promote technological readiness and innovation within Indigenous communities.

Brown is actively involved on campus as a member of the National Society of Black Engineers, an ambassador for the  , a member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, and recently tried out for the University Choir.

He said he chose Alabama A&M for its commitment to supporting and positioning Black engineers, noting that the experience has shaped both his academic and professional trajectory. Brown plans to graduate in May and pursue a full-time career as a systems engineer, with the long-term goal of returning to Alabama A&M as an adjunct professor.

Brown said he brings nearly a decade of entrepreneurial experience, dating to 2016, when he began owning and operating ventures in real estate investing, small business development, event hosting and nonprofit work while completing his education.

After earning his undergraduate degree from Oakwood University in 2020, Brown said he worked in Florida before transitioning to entrepreneurship full time.

Over the past five years, Brown said he has completed contracts in television and film production with independent companies and major outlets, including TMZ, Nickelodeon and Paramount. He also said he works as a master of ceremonies and wedding officiant, officiating about 88 marriage ceremonies last year.

Brown said those experiences have shaped his long-term goal of becoming a philanthropist and have strengthened a stakeholder-focused mindset he believes aligns with systems engineering and the design of complex, efficient solutions.

As he prepares to take the national stage, Brown said the opportunity represents more than a personal achievement, reflecting his responsibility to represent Alabama A&M University and communities that have historically been underrepresented in technology spaces.

“Honestly, I am looking forward to being an African American representative in this space. I want to share that anyone can be successful.”