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My best friend in high school was Rashawn. We grew up in the same neighborhood — playing football, laughing together and dreaming about the futures we believed were possible. Rashawn was smart, full of energy and full of promise. Everyone knew he was capable of great things. Then one day, when I arrived at school a neighborhood friend told me that Rashawn had been shot and killed the night before.
In that moment, I faced a choice: Let grief keep me angry — or channel it into purpose. I chose the latter. I committed to honoring Rashawn’s life by striving to make a difference far beyond the streets where we grew up. I joined Hands Without Guns, a community program for inner-city youths. I refused to accept violence as inevitable. I spoke in schools, appeared on the radio, and met young people where they were, having honest conversations about the consequences of violence — and the power of choosing a different path.
After high school, I moved to Minnesota to attend college and play football. I went on to earn my master’s degree, then attended law school and became an attorney, believing it would give me the tools to create more meaningful change. I became the first African American to serve on the New Hope City Council and in 2020, my neighbors elected me to the Minnesota House, where I was appointed vice chair of the Public Safety and Judiciary Committees. I am grateful to be living a fulfilling, meaningful life — the kind of life that Rashawn also deserved.
My experience with gun violence isn’t unique. As we enter 2026, we cannot forget the tragedies that scarred Minnesota in 2025. Last summer began with the killings of my friend and colleague Melissa Hortman, her husband, Mark, and their dog, Gilbert, and the shooting of John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. It ended with the devastating mass shooting at Annunciation School, where two young children, Harper and Fletcher, lost their lives. Beyond the headlines were countless other victims whose names weren’t at the top of the evening news — but whose losses devastated families and communities across our state.
The legislative session begins in just a few weeks. It will be the first time we meet since Melissa’s killing. I don’t know what it will feel like to walk into the Capitol without her guidance and mentorship. But I’ve learned that every loss carries lessons. Rashawn’s death taught me that we have a responsibility to confront hard truths and work together toward real solutions. My north star will be honoring those we’ve lost by working for a safer future for everyone still with us.
As we head into the 2026 legislative session, the Legislature must stay focused on what will actually save lives. That means advancing a comprehensive, evidence-based package to reduce gun violence and strengthen public safety: banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; closing dangerous loopholes to get ghost guns and weapons with binary triggers off our streets; strengthening extreme risk protection orders with real funding for public education and outreach, and expanding school safety investments so prevention, not tragedy, is the goal.
