Brian Gorman – Publisher, Community Activist, Serial Entreprenuer

Brian Gorman – Publisher, Community Activist, Serial Entreprenuer

Brian Gorman exemplifies the meaning of a community man. Born and raised on the south side
of Chicago, he is a true son of the city. He spent his formative years moving and changing schools often, teaching him skills of connecting with people he uses today. As a teen in the 90’s Chicago, he was privy to club experiences, through promotional jobs, that honed his eye to stay sharp. Brian began getting his feet wet in event planning while a student at Homewood Flossmoor High School, planning sweet sixteen parties. He continued planning events throughout his college years at Illinois State University and Columbia College, Chicago.

Brian created Diverse City as street teams doing street marketing campaigns for major corporations. Today, Diverse City develops marketing campaigns and does project management for an array of clients. It was through Diverse City that the political facet of his business began. A request from a prominent political figure to circulate petitions has grown into a full-service political consulting firm with First Place Campaigns.

Music has played a significant role in Brian’s life. He taps into this love as general manager of the Soul Selector DJs, a deejay trade organization. And as a protector of culture, he is one of the founders of the Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum. His connection to the people runs deep in his heart. Brian has taken that spirit and put it into action with Custom Resources, a community activism organization that connects the people with the resources. He created a Facebook group, Chicago Community Activism, that has a quarterly magazine highlighting community organizers around the city, and a livestreaming podcast from Bronzeville Podcast Studio, housed in the museum.

The Chicago Community Activism magazine is published through Gorman House Publishing, a publishing company he started with his wife, that strives to tell stories that resonate with the most overlooked. Brian Gorman is a man of many talents and passions. But he has one true
love, the people.