ENDORSED
BY GIFFORDS
Candidate
Shaundelle Brooks
State House
Tennessee
— 60th District Democrat
Open Seat2024
Raised in Brooklyn, New York, by two police officer parents, Shaundelle Brooks developed a strong sense of justice and a commitment to making the world a better place from a young age. As a parole officer in Nashville, she got a firsthand view of how the criminal justice system operates and gained a thorough understanding of the root causes of crime. This experience made her successful in helping individuals reintegrate into society after completing their sentences.
However, Brooks’s work to improve her community took a deeply personal turn on April 22, 2018, when a mass shooter armed with an AR-15 claimed the lives of four innocent people at a Waffle House restaurant in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville—including her son Akilah DaSilva. In the years since this tragedy, Brooks has traveled the country engaging with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to push for meaningful policy changes that would strengthen our country’s gun laws and prevent future instances of violence like the one that uprooted her life. If elected this November, she will fight for the passage of meaningful gun safety measures like red flag laws, expanded waiting periods, enhanced background checks for all gun sales, and a ban on assault weapons. Brooks knows that by treating gun violence as a public health issue, we can reduce gun deaths while respecting the Second Amendment rights of Tennesseeans.
The voices of survivors are imperative to the success of the gun safety movement, and it’s critical their presence is felt in the halls of power across this nation. By electing a mother on a mission like Brooks to office, Tenneseeans will have a champion like no other fighting on their behalf—fueled by the pain of losing her son, she’ll work tirelessly to pass laws designed to bolster public safety and never stop fighting for a better tomorrow for every family. Having worked alongside our team at GIFFORDS for years, we know that Shaundelle Brooks is ready to lead the next generation of champions in the hard work of saving lives, and we’re proud to stand by her this November.
However, Brooks’s work to improve her community took a deeply personal turn on April 22, 2018, when a mass shooter armed with an AR-15 claimed the lives of four innocent people at a Waffle House restaurant in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville—including her son Akilah DaSilva. In the years since this tragedy, Brooks has traveled the country engaging with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to push for meaningful policy changes that would strengthen our country’s gun laws and prevent future instances of violence like the one that uprooted her life. If elected this November, she will fight for the passage of meaningful gun safety measures like red flag laws, expanded waiting periods, enhanced background checks for all gun sales, and a ban on assault weapons. Brooks knows that by treating gun violence as a public health issue, we can reduce gun deaths while respecting the Second Amendment rights of Tennesseeans.
The voices of survivors are imperative to the success of the gun safety movement, and it’s critical their presence is felt in the halls of power across this nation. By electing a mother on a mission like Brooks to office, Tenneseeans will have a champion like no other fighting on their behalf—fueled by the pain of losing her son, she’ll work tirelessly to pass laws designed to bolster public safety and never stop fighting for a better tomorrow for every family. Having worked alongside our team at GIFFORDS for years, we know that Shaundelle Brooks is ready to lead the next generation of champions in the hard work of saving lives, and we’re proud to stand by her this November.
We are proud to endorse Shaundelle Brooks for the Tennessee House of Representatives.
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The gun safety movement is on the march: Americans from different background are united in standing up for safer schools and communities. Join us to make your voice heard and power our next wave of victories.
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