I think this was his way to tell me that in my life, there were people who would try to control my stomach, my Black body. I have been taught that we, as Black people, reflect and realize what destiny is and how people in power can never take that away.

This is part 2 of our conversation on the roots and solutions to gang violence, based on "The Holly," a book about Denver issues similar to what we are seeing in the Twin Cities.

Lead for Minnesota is a program that recruits, trains, and places recent college graduates around the state into two-year paid fellowships in or near their home community. There are currently 24 fellows in the 2020 class placed around Minnesota. Here are two of them.