Adrian is a proud and lifelong Marylander – but his story first began far from Bowie. Adrian’s parents emigrated from Ghana to the United States, determined to get an education and build a better future. They met in the US and eventually settled in Prince George’s County where Adrian was raised. It was that community who taught him the importance of faith, determination and fighting for what is right.

Adrian attended DeMatha High School and went on to the University of Baltimore, where he served as the first Black President of the Student Government Association. It was during a student advocacy trip to Annapolis to demand better mental health services and reforms around issues like the cost of education and criminal justice reform that Adrian saw how few voices looked or sounded like his at the decision-making table. He decided to pursue a career in the service of better policy to actually address the challenges his community faced.

Determined to make real change, Adrian began his career on Capitol Hill and pursued an MBA at night. He was fortunate to serve the communities of Maryland’s Fifth Congressional District while working for Congressman Steny Hoyer. There, Adrian saw up close what leadership looks like when it's focused on action, not just talk. He traveled with the Congressman to every corner of the Fifth Congressional District, seeing the direct results of his work.

At home, Adrian knew Bowie families were feeling the pains of rising prices and stagnant wages. So, at the age of 25, running on a commonsense vision of smart development and bold public-private partnerships, he challenged and beat an incumbent to win a seat on the Bowie City Council, where he served as Mayor Pro Tem. Adrian led by fighting for projects that helped everyday people. He helped provide cleaner water for the city, securing millions in funding to replace deteriorating iron water pipes and created a pilot program that brought good-paying construction jobs to help guide Prince George’s County out of the pandemic.

Voters again put their faith and trust in Adrian and elected him to the Maryland House of Delegates. In his first term in office, Adrian successfully passed a bill on the issue that first inspired him to get involved in public service, improving mental health care access for students at Maryland’s colleges and universities.

As State Delegate, Adrian continues to fight every day to improve the lives of Marylanders. He introduced and passed a landmark bill strengthening wage theft protections. He introduced legislation to raise the minimum wage, make schools cell-phone-free, and stop Wall Street from buying up Maryland homes. When families felt the burden from rising energy bills he was the first legislator to call for a moratorium on utility rate hikes.

Adrian is running for Congress to fight for all Marylanders just like he’s done at the local level. Adrian knows Washington is broken. Donald Trump and his corrupt administration are dragging our government to its breaking point. He knows that to stop Trump we need to elect the next generation of leadership who will prevent him from further rigging the system. 

His pledge is simple: to make Maryland a place where families can afford to live with dignity, where seniors can count on their Social Security and Medicare, and where newcomers - like his family once was - are welcomed, not feared. Adrian knows we need leaders who are deeply rooted in the communities we serve, who can be a voice for the people.