Profile: Maconda Brown O’Connor and Ralph S. O’Connor

Social Worker <br>Houston, Texas

Photo: Getty Images

Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.


When George R. Brown died in 1983, he was one of the wealthiest men in Texas. He was also an icon in the state’s business world, having turned a few mules and wagons into Brown & Root, the fourth-largest construction business in the world. But Brown never forgot his poor roots. And Brown impressed the lessons of poverty on his daughters.

In turn, Maconda Brown O’Connor has become a champion for poor children, especially troubled teens. And her political giving has been motivated by the same drives — the determination to make a difference and to help those who need it.

A Houston social worker, O’Connor has been recognized for her work with children and her unflagging support for organizations that seek to help at-risk kids. But she remains a private person, little inclined to use her prominent family name or the influence that comes with her campaign largesse to take a public stand on partisan issues.

Fact:

Mother Jones was founded as a nonprofit in 1976 because we knew corporations and billionaires wouldn't fund the type of hard-hitting journalism we set out to do.

Today, reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget, allows us to dig deep on stories that matter, and lets us keep our reporting free for everyone. If you value what you get from Mother Jones, please join us with a tax-deductible donation today so we can keep on doing the type of journalism 2024 demands.

payment methods

Fact:

Today, reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget, allows us to dig deep on stories that matter, and lets us keep our reporting free for everyone. If you value what you get from Mother Jones, please join us with a tax-deductible donation today so we can keep on doing the type of journalism 2024 demands.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate