ABOUT CEDRICK
I grew up in a low-income neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago-- a place much different than my home in New Hope where my wife and I raise our daughters and our dog Puckett, today.
Throughout the 80’s and 90’s, the community I grew up in was devastated by failed policies that often landed on the backs of poor people and had a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities. Policies hailed as means to make our communities safer, resulted in many of the folks I grew up with being reduced to statistics in the eyes of the law.. I witnessed, firsthand, the direct impacts of failed legislation crafted by those elected to serve the community. Gun violence, drug trafficking, and crime rates in my neighborhood became a vicious cycle that ensnared many people I loved into a life they should have never found themselves living in.
Throughout the tumult, one thing was always certain–education is the escape route. My mother instilled a love of learning in me as a means to expand my horizons and gain the tools necessary to make a way for folks who grew up like I did; to know that success and safety is a comfort extended to us, too.
Education led me to Minnesota nearly 30 years ago. I attended the University of Minnesota-Morris where I studied Psychology, played football, ran track, met my wife Stephanie, and cultivated my passion for advocacy. After graduating with my Bachelor’s degree, I received a scholarship to earn my Master’s from MSU Mankato in Local Government Management; and later a Juris Doctorate from the William Mitchell College of Law.
After law school, I continued my advocacy work as an attorney in the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office. As a public defender, I witnessed the systemic inequities of a justice system that favored the rich over the poor, and disproportionately punished folks of color. In 2008, I served as Director of Equity & Diversity for the Minneapolis Public School District and later as the district’s Legal Counsel. After nearly a decade working in public education, I joined Education Minnesota’s legal team, the state’s largest labor union, to protect the rights of our local educators and students.
In 2018 I was appointed to serve on the New Hope City Council. While a council member, I encouraged engagement and dialogue between the Human Rights Commission and Police Department on policing practices, and proposed ordinances to protect tenants of affordable housing units in the city. In 2020, I was encouraged by my city’s residents to step up and run to serve our district in the legislature. I set out to draw from my experiences and amplify the voices of my neighbors at the State Capitol.
As a legislator, I’ve worn a number of hats. I’ve served as the Vice-Chair of the Public Safety Committee and continued to be a bold voice for much-needed innovation and accountability in our criminal justice system. I also had the opportunity to serve on the Education Policy Committee where we passed bills to help close our educational attainment gaps and teacher shortages while working to increase the diversity in faculty ranks. I’ve served as Co-Chair of the House Legislative People of Color and Indigenous Caucus for two terms, working to ensure that all Minnesotans have their voices heard and their concerns addressed. My neighbors sent me to the State Capitol with a mandate to deliver, and I never wavered on my duty. From solidifying Minnesota’s first ever Paid-Leave program to securing $173 Million in state funding to benefit retirement homes, I know my job as an elected official is to improve the day-to-day lives of the people I serve, and I am determined to bring that same ethic to leading the Hennepin County Attorney’s office.
One of my proudest accomplishments as a legislator was working to defend worker protections, spearheading an update to our state’s wage-theft law, giving prosecutors new tools to gather evidence while pursuing wage-theft cases. I’ve passed Red-Flag legislation that helps to protect folks from gun-violence, established Body Camera Policy & Civilian Oversight Boards that gives our community greater transparency into interactions with law enforcement, and built on the hard work of brilliant leaders before me to bring “Restore the Vote” legislation across the finish line–restoring voting rights to over 55,000 Minnesotans.
Minnesota is our home. My wife and I are raising our daughters as proud Minnesotans, with the dedication and commitment to better this community with each passing day. The love I have for this home goes beyond walking the dog around the neighborhood, visiting local parks with my youngest daughter, or even supporting local businesses. Community care has to be rooted in direct action, like civic engagement, outreach, and volunteering.
The mandate my community has given me throughout my career - to fight for fairness, safety, and opportunity for all, has led me to this moment. Running for Hennepin County Attorney is the next natural step in that journey, shaped by a lifetime of lived experience that compels me to confront injustice wherever it exists and protect the people of my community with smart, data-driven policies and practices. From the streets of the South Side of Chicago to the halls of the Minnesota State Capitol, I’ve seen the urgent need for a justice system that serves everyone equally. I’m ready to bring that vision to the County Attorney’s office, and I look forward to connecting with people across Hennepin County during this campaign to listen, learn, and work together for a safer, stronger community.
