Born and raised in Minnesota, Reggie is a local product of “Minnesota Nice” and a good Midwest work ethic. Reggie graduated from the University of Saint Thomas with a bachelor’s degree in English. He most recently worked for the City of Saint Paul’s Human Rights Department where he assisted small, minority-owned and woman-owned businesses find ways to grow their businesses.
After some introspection, Reggie felt a pull to work for a better educational future in Minnesota, which is how he landed at MinnCAN. For a while, he worked part-time at MinnCAN while serving as a youth development worker at the North Community YMCA in Minneapolis. These days he puts his full-time energy toward MinnCAN’s mission: ensuring that all kids have access to great public schools.
I aspire to be like Muhammad Ali. Here’s why:
Muhammad Ali was an outspoken, radical black man when being outspoken or black could (and often did) get you killed. I especially admire his relentlessness when it came to advocating for the causes in which he believed deeply—among them, social change and racial equality. Beyond the boxing bravado that most people associate with Muhammad Ali, the man used his international platform to speak up for those whose voices were often silenced or muffled by the status quo. And in the ring, Muhammad Ali could always back his words with action.
I work with passionate and creative people who strive to improve the future, through equal opportunities in public educational, for kids across the country. What more could I ask for?
I attended public schools student for all but one of my K-12 years, and many of my friends serve as teachers.
Regarding my own education, I was blessed to sit in classrooms led by great teachers and staff who took a real interest in my success as both a student and a human being. Many of my friends attending other public schools received a lesser degree of support, and experienced fewer excellent opportunities. The disparity bothered me then, and it’s what MinnCAN seeks to rectify today.
Talking about myself. I can talk with another person for hours about his life, his past and his and dreams for the future—but when it’s my turn, I’m done in five minutes.
This picture represents the children closest to me: my nephews, my nieces and my Godson. As an uncle and Godfather, I will make sure the kids in my family receive the best education possible. I work at 50CAN because I also want to support that promise for every child in Minnesota.