Who is Rashad Turner? St Paul BLM chapter founder quits after 'learning ugly truth', releases video
St Paul, Minnesota's Black Lives Matter chapter founder Rashad Turner has made some shocking, explosive claims about the movement in a newly published video. Turner, who reportedly wanted to become a cop but instead chose to open a BLM chapter, has revealed in the video shared last week that he quit the very organization he founded after he became an "insider" and "learned the ugly truth."
The video was published by a Black-people-led organization TakeCharge, whose ideals reject critical race theory and woke culture, writes The Daily Wire. In the transcript of the video published by the outlet, Turner claims he wanted quality education for the Black community, which led to him starting the BLM chapter. He reveals with disappointment in the video that based on his experience, the movement "had little concern for rebuilding black families, and they cared even less about improving the quality of education for students in Minneapolis."
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St. Paul BLM leader Rashad Turner:
— Liz Sawyer (@ByLizSawyer) September 1, 2015
"Do not believe them when they tell you that this movement is going nowhere!" pic.twitter.com/vVSk91L0ps
Who is Rashad Turner?
Turner, 35, opens his monologue in the video by mentioning all the little details about his life. "I was born in Minneapolis in 1985. We called the north side home at that time, 18th and Queen," Turner shares, before continuing about his tragic past. "When I was two years old, my father was shot and killed. My mother wasn’t able to take care of me. So I was raised by my grandparents. They told me that if I was going to change my life for the better, education was the answer," he claims.
Turner then celebrates how he "worked hard in school, I got into Hamlin University and earned a college degree, first in my family. Then I went on to earn a master’s in education from St Mary’s University of Minnesota. I am living proof that no matter how you start life, quality education is a pathway to success. I want the same success for our children in our communities." All of this led to Turner's involvement with BLM. "That’s why in 2015, I was a founder of Black Lives Matter in St Paul. I believed the organization stood for exactly what the name implies, Black lives do matter," he reveals.
'I learned the ugly truth'
Without glossing over his work with the movement, Turner straight jumps to the realization his personal experience drove him to. "However, after a year on the inside," recalls Turner, "I learned they had little concern for rebuilding Black families, and they cared even less about improving the quality of education for students in Minneapolis. That was made clear when they publicly denounced charter schools alongside the teachers union."
Turner then alleges "I was an insider in Black Lives Matter. And I learned the ugly truth. The moratorium on charter schools does not support rebuilding the Black family. But it does create barriers to a better education for Black children. I resigned from Black Lives Matter after a year and a half. But I didn’t quit working to improve Black lives and access to a great education."
Turner reveals he is currently the president and executive director of Minnesota Parent Union. The organization's prime focus is to help parents move their children from failing schools, to successful schools. Turner calls it "hard work, and we’re up against forces that don’t want us to succeed." But he concludes with a message of hope and positivity, noting: "But success is possible. Just look at me and the hundreds of children and families we’ve helped to pursue a great education, break the chains of poverty and lead a life of success."