His name is Rasheen Aldridge. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, the 20 years old Aldridge is a natural leader. After graduating from High School, he enrolled at Forest Park Community College, while working minimum wage jobs, the lot of many Black youth in underpriviledged areas, such as East Saint Louis or Ferguson, Missouri. But that did not stop him.
He became a Community organizer, fighting for the rights of underpriviledged, rights to a decent job, fair wages, and ultimately civil rights.
He serves as director of Young Activist United St. Louis and sits as student co-chair on the Missouri Jobs with Justice.
“I want to be part of the Ferguson Commission so I can provide concerns and issues of the young people who feel like their voices and lives don’t matter in this world, which all lives matters. I want to get to the root of the issues in Ferguson, Shaw and the whole city on why individuals feel like they are targets to the police and the whole system. I feel like I can be a great asset to this Commission because I have been in Ferguson and Shaw on a daily basis and have talked and peaceful protested with young folks and have an understanding on why we are angry. I work with all different ages, races and religions and understand the importance of how all people work and play together. I hope with the Commission we will be able to solve and come up with real solutions of the problems that are affecting people of all colors and how to make St. Louis a place that people love and feel like they belong in their own city, ” said Rasheen while running for Ferguson Commission.
Photo: Rasheen Alrdridge, Jr., Ferguson Commissioner
Rasheen has been at the forefront of fighting for justice for Michael Brown. While channelling the youth energy to protest against injustice and the mistreatement of the Black youth by police and the judicial system, he has kept and expressed his hope for a better tommorrow and has asked the youth to refrain from answering violence with violence.
Rasheen is a born leader, who epitomizes hope for a better America.
