This archive report was first published on 6 June 2020.
On June 6, 2020, the nation was still reeling from the murder of George Floyd, a black man killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For one resident, the pain of losing a loved one to police brutality was all too familiar. He had lost his best friend, Philando Castile, in 2016, also at the hands of a police officer.
'I feel like I've known George simply because of the way he died,' he said, his voice cracking with emotion. 'I'm a black man, and I could suffer the same fate.' He spoke of the sense of helplessness that comes with watching lawmakers fail to act on police reform, despite the repeated calls for change.
That's why he's decided to take matters into his own hands. He's running for the Minnesota House of Representatives, determined to bring about accountability and justice for his community. 'My community is sick and tired of being sick and tired,' he said. 'My community is sick and tired of asking people who can change laws to change laws, and they don't.'
He's not afraid of the challenge, despite the fear that some may have of the police. 'Are you scared of the police? Are you scared they may kill your daddy?' he asked. 'They tell me that all the time.' But he's determined to show his community that they have the power to create change.
'If we don't have somebody from the community that has a direct connection, then we get another George. We get another Philando,' he said. 'Does that make sense? If we're not at the table, we're on the menu.' He's tired of being on the menu, and he's ready to take a seat at the table.
