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Anthony Walsh (author)

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Anthony Walsh
Anthony Walsh in Edina, Minnesota, 2022
Personal details
Born (1994-11-06) November 6, 1994 (age 30)
Washington, D.C.
NationalityAmerican
Political partyLegal Marijuana Now
EducationUniversity of North Dakota (BA)
Mitchell Hamline School of Law (JD)
Known forHockey is for Everybody
Websitevotewalsh.com

Anthony Charles Walsh (born November 6, 1994) is an American athlete, author, coach, community organizer, cannabis rights leader, and politician.[1][2]

Walsh is a 2024 Legal Marijuana Now candidate for United States Representative from Minnesota's 3rd congressional district.[3]

Hockey career

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Edina Hornets

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Walsh led the 2013 Minnesota state champion Edina High School hockey team. KSTC-TV christened Walsh's five-hole goal during the second period of the championship the "play of the game." Walsh was named player of the week by Let's Play Hockey.[4][5]

Being from Edina, Minnesota, a predominantly Caucasian community, resulted in Walsh becoming the only African-American player for an all-White team. Faced with racist slurs and insults from opposing team members that were intended to spoil his composure, Walsh credits support he received from his family and teammates for his perseverance.[5][6]

Brockville Braves

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After graduating from high school, Walsh played for three months with the Bethel University hockey team, before joining the Canadian Junior league, where he played for one year. Later, Walsh remembers struggling harder against racism, in Canada, while away from his support network. From 2015 until graduating in 2018, Walsh played on the University of North Dakota hockey club team.[2][5]

Coaching

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After retiring from the sport, Walsh began coaching youth hockey in 2022. Walsh was recruited as assistant coach for the Panthers, a multi-state, all-Black AAA team. Walsh's North Commons youth club team won a Park Board championship. In 2023, Walsh taught Hockey for Everybody, a summer camp for blind, LGBTQ, and BIPOC hockey players, held on the campus of St. Cloud State University.[1][2][7]

Political career

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Congressional candidacy

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In 2023, Walsh launched an independent campaign for United States Congress, stating that the Democratic and Republican parties no longer represent the interests of the average American. Walsh joined the Legal Marijuana Now Party, an independent, U.S. third party headquartered in Minnesota, during caucuses held by Minnesota Legal Marijuana Now! in February, 2024.[3][8]

Political views

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Walsh was attending law school in Washington, D.C., when George Floyd was murdered, in 2020. Later, Walsh told reporters that he remembers watching news broadcasts about his home state, while in Washington, and thinking, "This could have been me under other circumstances." Walsh said that inspired him to move back to Minnesota to coach, in 2021, because he wants to be a role model for young minority athletes, something he did not have when he was growing up. Walsh uses the term third place, describing hockey arenas as safe spaces for community building. According to Walsh, his platform is pro-choice, pro-Second Amendment, pro-peace, pro-cannabis, pro-small business, and pro-climate.[1][2][8]

Personal life

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Early life and education

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Walsh, who was born in Washington, D.C., was adopted as an infant by Paul Walsh and Pam Huey, and together with his older brother, Ben Walsh, moved to Edina, Minnesota. He began playing hockey when he was five years old. Walsh enrolled for primary education in the Hopkins school district, and by seventh grade transferred to Edina High School. After graduating in 2013, Walsh attended Bethel University for one semester before moving to Ontario, Canada to play Junior hockey for one year. In 2015, Walsh enrolled at the University of North Dakota, where he earned bachelor's degrees in history and interdisciplinary studies. Walsh attended David A. Clarke School of Law in Washington, D.C., from 2019 through 2020, and then moved back to Edina, in 2021, completing his Juris Doctor at Mitchell Hamline in Saint Paul, in 2023.[2][9]

Career

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Walsh serves on the board of directors for the nonprofit Mosaic Hockey Collective. In November, 2023, Walsh participated in an Edina panel discussion called Building an Inclusive Community. Walsh is employed by Hennepin County as a community engagement specialist. In honor of Black History Month, Walsh announced "Let's Play Hockey!" for the Wild versus Sabres game on February 17, 2024.[6][10][11]

Writings

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Glover, Maury (June 9, 2022). "All-Black hockey team hopes to advance sport in African American community". KMSP-TV.
  2. ^ a b c d e Walsh, James (April 11, 2023). "St. Paul law student shares love of hockey to encourage more kids of color to play". Star Tribune.
  3. ^ a b Bierschbach, Briana (May 11, 2024). "Minnesota Supreme Court: Legal Marijuana Now failed to meet requirements to remain a major party - The LMN Party could qualify as a third party in the state but will lose major party ballot access in 2024". Star Tribune. Congressional candidate Anthony Walsh, who is running as a Legal Marijuana Now Party candidate in Minnesota's Third District, said in a statement that he already planned to collect signatures
  4. ^ Halverson, Brian (March 11, 2013). "Giles Not Buying Walsh's Account of Goal". Minnesota Hockey Magazine.
  5. ^ a b c DiLorenzo, Mia (May 5, 2022). "Inclusion on the Ice: Edina alum affirms that "Hockey is for Everyone"". Zephyrus.
  6. ^ a b Davis, Angela (March 15, 2023). "Two Minnesota children's book authors on getting and giving a sense of belonging". Minnesota Public Radio.
  7. ^ Hatten, Mick (June 21, 2023). "Hockey For Everybody books lead to camp being held in July in St. Cloud: Author/coach Anthony Walsh has written two children's books about overcoming stereotyping and racism to succeed in the game. He will be lead instructor for a camp for BIPOC, LGBTQIA and blind players". The Rink Live.
  8. ^ a b "Vote Walsh for Congress". votewalsh.com.
  9. ^ C.J. (April 7, 2013). "State of Hockey state champion Anthony Walsh is all smiles: After graduation in June, Anthony Walsh plans to play junior hockey in Ontario". Star Tribune.
  10. ^ "A Third Place". Ruthlessly Hopeful. November 3, 2023.
  11. ^ Minnesota Wild (February 16, 2024). "Minnesota Wild to Celebrate Black History Month on February 17 vs. Buffalo Sabres". NHL.com.
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