Anthony was born and raised on Chicago's South Side, in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood, a community known for its resilience and strong identity (just like Columbia Heights). His early life was marked by profound loss, as he lost both his parents and grandparents before he was even two years old. His mother passed away from a drug overdose, and having abused drugs while pregnant with him is something that has profoundly informed his life and worldview about substance use disorder and its effects on families. Anthony became a ward of the state, and his early years were further complicated by a long stint in foster care after his aunt gave him up. And though he returned home years later, that experience would have a profound impact on his life - the horror stories of the foster care system are real. It would also lead him, as an adult, to pursue volunteer opportunities as a court-appointed advocate to protect the interests of youth, especially those in foster care. Anthony’s mother’s tragic death in the prime of her life has remained a constant reminder of the choices that can impact a person’s life and their family. 

Anthony has lived so many of the experiences that many Columbia Heights families and residents face, including growing up on food stamps (now SNAP) in a struggling, single-income household, an inability to pay some bills, picking and choosing to eat or keep the lights on, trying to overcome a disability, and being overly policed and arrested because of his skin color. So, Anthony gets it because he’s actually lived it — and he can relate to so many residents.

Anthony spent his early career in community organizing, where he worked with a community collaborative fighting school closures and disinvestment in the very neighborhood where he came of age — where Anthony learned his first and most enduring lesson about public life: communities don't need saving; they need a seat at the table. He was the founding coordinator of two student affairs programs at the University of Illinois Springfield, supporting Black male students and students with disabilities. Anthony began his government service as a legal assistant to the general counsel at the Chicago Housing Authority, then served as an Enforcement and Termination Analyst for the Housing Choice Voucher Program. He would go on to spend several years managing government affairs and advocacy for nonprofit associations.

Public service is deeply ingrained in Anthony's family. His aunt dedicated nearly 25 years to teaching in Chicago Public Schools, where she also served as an active teachers’ union member (proud union household!), advocating for better conditions and resources for educators and students alike, and as a local school council leader. His grandmother served as a precinct captain on Chicago's South Side, working tirelessly for the Cook County Democratic Party for nearly three decades. She was instrumental in mobilizing voters, organizing community events, and ensuring that her neighbors’ voices were heard in the political process. Two of his older sisters are police and youth correctional officers. This legacy of commitment to public service and community advocacy has profoundly influenced his passion for making a positive impact on Columbia Heights, a community not unlike the one he grew up in, which his small family still calls home, or the storied Uptown community, where he lived during and after college.

Anthony has been devoted to many volunteer causes, including working with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, and CASA for Children. He is also a volunteer member of the District’s Medical Reserve Corps (MRC).