With a campaign theme of “Fight Like a Mom,” Hermitage parent Shaundelle Brooks is
holding a canvass launch and rally at 2:30 p.m. Saturday (July 20) at Hermitage Park,
4000 Dodson Chapel Road. She is running for the open seat in State House District 60,
which is on the August 2 Democratic Primary ballot. Early voting is currently underway.
The mother of four was thrust into the public light when her son, Akilah DaSilva was
killed in the 2018 Waffle House mass shooting at the Antioch Waffle House. She
channeled her grief into activism across the nation for laws that would prevent tragedies
like the one she suffered. Now, she wants to bring her fight for ALL families to the
Tennessee General Assembly.
“My fight is for all the families across District 60 and across Tennessee – for the safety
of our children, for their education and access to the best available health care, for the
right of women to make choices about their bodies, and the right of our LGBTQ+
families and neighbors to love who they love,” Brooks said.
Standing with her Saturday will be State Rep. Justin Jones, one of the “Tennessee
Three,” who has advocated for the same family issues as Brooks. Also up front on
Saturday will be Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action, a
lead group in the fight for sane gun laws.
“All elections matter, but this primary is critical,” Brooks said. “Our legislature has
become a battleground for our most personal rights and our most foundational rights –
literally life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I am the one candidate in this primary
race who can win in November, and I ask for your vote and your help getting the word
out Saturday about this passionate campaign.”
