The American Dream is the notion that in the United States, if you work hard, you will prosper and succeed – for many, success means being healthy, getting married, buying a home, having children and advancing your career. This is a wonderful concept and one of the many things that makes our country great.
But with systemic racism pervading most areas of our lives including housing, health and education, all Americans don’t have a fair chance to achieve the American Dream. And the murder of George Floyd has brought into sharp focus the significant racial disparities that exist in the criminal justice system.
Anton Andrew is running for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 160, so he can work to ensure that everyone has their fair shot at the American Dream. To understand the path that Andrew is forging ahead, we must consider his family background and the path that brought him to where he is today.
Andrew’s parents moved from the West Indies to the United States so that their family could live the American Dream. “I saw my parents pick up and leave behind their family, friends and careers they had established.” Andrew told me. “And then we came to a country where outside of a few other family members, we knew no one. So, I immediately appreciated how much they sacrificed for this dream.”
But Andrew recalls experiencing racism early in his life, which was highlighted in the disparity between how people treated his mother as opposed to his father. “My mom is light skinned and could pass for white among some folks. I remember meeting with a homeowner about moving into a house right next to the elementary school in the center of the district,” he said. “When dad, who is dark skinned, showed up, the owner suddenly realized that he didn’t want to sell the house anymore. We ended up moving to the very edge of the school district, where the majority of the handful of black and brown families lived.”
Andrew also remembered a similar incident when he and his parents were visiting Harvard. “We were exhausted and we’re driving around Cambridge. My mom rolled down her window and was asking for directions from a white man. He came over, he was very friendly. Even though his Boston accent was hard to understand – telling her where the campus was and where local hotels were,” Andrew recalled. “But as soon as my dad leaned over into her frame the man literally jumped back, said something that sounded like, ‘Get out of here’ and hurried away. And to this day every time I hear a strong Boston accent, I have to remind myself not to assume bad intentions.”
Andrew also experienced racism in the form of school officials not only having low expectations of him but advising him to limit his own expectations even when he was a high performer. “I also remember my high school counselor who suggested to me that a good state university would be a “stretch” for me. When I told my dad I could tell he was pissed. And my dad came to my school and gave the counselor a big handshake while saying ‘I think Anton should look at Ivy League schools,’” he said. “My Dad used to throw the discus and hammer for his national team and the counselor literally backed into the corner of his office and said, ‘On second thought we should definitely explore schools like Penn.’”
Andrew eventually attended University of Pennsylvania, during which time he witnessed the video of the Rodney King incident in which King was viciously beaten by police officers. And when the officers were ultimately acquitted of all charges, Andrew’s professional life purpose sharply came into focus. “I saw the Rodney King beating and the acquittal of the four officers who beat him for 15 minutes with their batons, their 50,000 volt stun gun, and their boots leaving him with multiple skull fractures, several broken bones and teeth and permanent brain damage,” Andrew recalled. “And that brief but pleasant dream that my life had as much value as my white classmates was demolished. It was the George Floyd moment from my generation.”
This motivated Andrew to become an attorney and public defender. “I felt like I had to do something to protect myself and others like me. And after seeing several friends wrongfully detained by the police a couple years earlier and going to court to speak on their behalf then basically be told to shut up by the judge, it seemed obvious to me where I needed to be, in the criminal justice system where so many black lives were destroyed,” Andrew described. “And because I’d always been aware of how much my parents and other generations of black and brown people had given for me to have the opportunity to pursue my American dream, I felt like it was the best way to honor their sacrifice and protect myself and future generations.
“Paying it back and paying it forward at the same time.”
Andrew found that while he had experienced racism first hand, he saw it more in terms of the endpoint of criminal justice. “I’d already seen or experienced systemic racism in education, jobs, criminal justice system. Being a PD just showed me the final destination for these forms of systemic racism, particularly in the case of black males, was jails or prisons,” he explained. “I am still haunted because the vast majority of my clients’ only crime was they were poor, which disproportionately meant black and using drugs to self-medicate or help escape from their hopelessness.”
While Andrew was happy to have a chance to work within the system, he saw a limit to being a public defender. He couldn’t change the system. “It was like triage in a hospital. You might be able to temporarily save somebody’s life by keeping them out of prison, but you’re not changing the way they live,” he said. “It was more like hitting a rewind button than a reset button. Might buy you some time but doesn’t change the ultimate result.”
So, Andrew has now decided that he wants to run for State Representative to become more directly involved in developing policies that address systemic injustices. “I want to support hard-working families like mine so everyone can have a shot at the American Dream. That includes treating all people with respect and dignity, establishing a living wage and supporting fair and full school funding so that all children can have the opportunity to pursue their dreams,” Andrew explained. “That also means, preserving a woman’s right to choice, ensuring clean air and water, and enacting common sense gun safety laws and criminal justice reforms to guarantee we are all treated equally under the law.
He feels that in order to achieve his goals, he must build a strong and diverse coalition. “I’ve always had to find allies in order to pursue my dreams. Coming from where I came from, I never had the institutional power to say ‘it’s my way or the highway,’ Andrew described. “Ever since arriving here, I’ve had to learn how to find allies in order to have my voice heard. Often working with people who were initially hostile to or suspicious of me because of my race, country of origin or economic status.”
So far he’s been happy with the results that manifested in his primary win. “The numbers bear it out. In 2018, in a gerrymandered district where Democrats only represented 35% of the registered voters I captured 49% of the vote against a popular 22-year Republican incumbent. That means Independent and Republican voters were receptive to my message. And in 2020…continuing to amplify the common values that we share to bring people together instead of divide them, I’m confident we will win this seat.”
He feels that recent political events support the notion that we need each other and that it is time to make sure that everyone has equal access to the American Dream. “Covid-19 has taught a lot of us that we are all in this together, including many who for the first time in their lives feel insecurity about meeting their basic needs and realize that our social safety net has been eroded. And the worldwide protesters in the streets since George Floyd’s murder are all raising their voices, to create more just and fair societies.
“This is the perfect opportunity for leaders with the courage to stand up for our shared values to finally be heard.”
Photo credit: Roberta Moloff
