Meet Cedrick
My name is Cedrick Frazier. I live in the city of New Hope with my wife Stephanie, our three daughters, and our dog Puckett.
I grew up in a low-income neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago-- a place much different than New Hope. The Southside community, where my family lived, fell victim to the detrimental lawmaking of the ’80s and ’90s that devastated Black and Brown communities across the country. I witnessed firsthand the direct impacts of failed legislation crafted by those elected to serve the community. As a result, I watched gun violence, drug trafficking, and crime rates rise in my neighborhood. However, the circumstances surrounding me reaffirmed an escape route that my parents had always impressed upon me: education.
Education led me to Minnesota over 20 years ago. I attended the University of Minnesota-Morris where I studied Psychology, played football, and ran track. College was where I 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 Urban Studies and later, a Juris Doctorate in Law 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. After the retirement of our longtime State Representative Lyndon Carlson in 2020, I decided 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 in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
As a first-term legislator, I 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.
One of my proudest accomplishments during my first term was authoring House File 2900 which aims to reward the many frontline workers that kept our state running during this pandemic. Frontline workers are the reason our state has a multibillion-dollar budget surplus and I am pleased that the bill passed out of the House so that we can give our frontline workers much-needed recognition.
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.
I am proud to serve the people of our legislative district during these trying times. Thank you for the privilege of representing you in the Minnesota House of Representatives. If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Be safe and well.
Sincerely,
