Shaundelle Brooks

Current office and 2026 campaign

Shaundelle Brooks is a Democratic member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 60, having assumed office on November 5, 2024.¹⁶ Her current term concludes on November 3, 2026.¹ Brooks is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 2026 cycle.¹ She is listed as a candidate on the ballot for the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026.¹

Brooks has positioned her re-election campaign around continuing her legislative work, stating that she aims to deliver "real results" focused on safer neighborhoods and stronger families.⁴ Her campaign website emphasizes maintaining progress rather than starting over, highlighting her tenure in the 114th General Assembly.⁴

Background and education

Shaundelle Brooks was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised there by parents who were both police officers ². She self-describes as having developed a strong sense of justice from a young age due to her upbringing ³. Brooks earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, part of the City University of New York (CUNY) ¹⁷. She also holds a master’s degree from Tennessee State University ⁷.

Career

Shaundelle Brooks earned a bachelor’s degree in law and criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice ¹². She later obtained a master’s degree from Tennessee State University ⁷.

Professionally, Brooks worked as a parole officer for the state of Tennessee, a role that provided her with firsthand experience regarding the criminal justice system and the reintegration of individuals into society ³. Prior to her work in adult parole, she was employed within the Tennessee juvenile justice system ¹². She is also a gun-law reform activist who founded the Akilah Dasilva Foundation following the 2018 Waffle House shooting that killed her son, Akilah Dasilva ¹⁴. In 2024, a Nashville jury awarded Brooks $212 million in damages on behalf of her deceased son ¹⁸.

Office history

Shaundelle Brooks has held only one elected office to date. She was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 60 in the 2024 general election, defeating Republican challenger Chad Bobo with 54% of the vote ²⁸¹⁶. The seat had been vacated by longtime Democratic Representative Darren Jernigan, who retired to join Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office ¹¹¹⁶. Brooks assumed office on November 5, 2024, serving in the 114th General Assembly ². Her current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 ¹.

As a member of the Tennessee House, Brooks represents District 60, which encompasses growing suburbs east of Nashville including Donelson, Hermitage, and parts of Old Hickory in Davidson County ⁸⁹. In this role, she serves as a Democrat on the Criminal Justice Subcommittee and has sponsored legislation related to gun control and criminal justice reform ¹¹⁷. Prior to her election, Brooks served as a parole officer in Nashville, where she gained experience in the adult and juvenile justice systems ³¹².

Brooks is currently running for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 60. She is on the ballot for the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹. As of today, this election has not yet occurred, and its outcome is unknown. There are no other recorded elected or appointed offices held by Brooks, nor are there records of prior lost electoral races in the available sources.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Shaundelle Brooks assumed office in the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 60 on November 5, 2024, following her victory in the 2024 general election ¹²⁸. She succeeded Darren Jernigan, who vacated the seat to become an advisor in the Nashville mayor’s office ⁸¹¹. Brooks secured the Democratic nomination in August 2024 before defeating Republican Chad Bobo with 54% of the vote in November ²⁸¹⁶.

As a first-term legislator, Brooks has focused her legislative agenda on gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform, drawing on her prior experience as a parole officer and her advocacy work following the 2018 death of her son, Akilah Dasilva, in an Antioch Waffle House shooting ³⁷¹⁰. In March 2025, the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee gave bipartisan support to a gun control bill sponsored by Brooks, marking a notable legislative milestone during her early tenure ¹⁷.

Brooks has been endorsed by Giffords, a gun violence prevention organization, citing her commitment to reforming laws such as red-flag statutes and expanded background checks ³. Her policy positions emphasize the need for stricter gun regulations, including waiting periods and bans on certain firearms, which she views as essential for public safety ⁷¹⁵. She has also campaigned on supporting youth development programs and increasing teacher pay ¹¹.

Brooks is currently serving her first term, which ends on November 3, 2026 ¹. She is seeking re-election in the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026, to continue her work in the Tennessee General Assembly ¹⁴. As of May 2026, the outcome of this upcoming election remains unknown ¹.

Documented disputes and controversies

Brooks’s political career has been defined by her advocacy following the 2018 shooting at an Antioch Waffle House that killed her son, Akilah Dasilva ⁷¹⁴. This personal tragedy launched her into a public crusade for gun reform, leading to her candidacy in District 60 where she faced Republican Chad Bobo ⁵⁹. The race was characterized by diametrically opposed views on gun laws, with Brooks emphasizing mass shooting prevention and Bobo focusing on jobs while exhibiting what reporters described as a "conspiracy theory streak" ⁵.

During the 2024 campaign, Brooks faced Donelson Hermitage Neighborhood Alliance President Tyler Jester in the Democratic primary ⁹¹³. She ultimately defeated Bobo in the general election with 54% of the vote to secure the seat vacated by Darren Jernigan ²⁸¹⁶. The victory was described as saving Tennessee Democrats from losing ground in the competitive district ⁸.

As a legislator, Brooks has engaged in contentious debates over gun policy. In March 2025, the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee gave bipartisan support to a gun control bill sponsored by Brooks after rejecting another measure in a heated argument during the same meeting ¹⁷. The session also highlighted limits on activism from Republican colleagues through the treatment of Representative Justin J. Pearson earlier in the day ¹⁷.

Prior to her election, Brooks was involved in significant legal proceedings regarding the 2018 shooting. A Nashville jury found shooter Travis Reinking guilty on all charges and awarded Brooks $212 million in damages on behalf of her son’s estate ¹⁸. The verdict included $106 million in compensatory damages and $106 million in punitive damages ¹⁸.

Business interests and wealth source

Brooks worked as a parole officer in Nashville prior to her election to the Tennessee House of Representatives ³⁷. She also served in the juvenile justice system before becoming an adult parole officer ¹². Brooks earned a bachelor’s degree in Law and Criminal Justice from John Jay University ¹² and a master’s degree from Tennessee State University ⁷.

Brooks is the founder of the Akilah Dasilva Foundation, which she established following the 2018 shooting death of her son, Akilah Dasilva ¹⁴. In 2024, a Nashville jury awarded Brooks $212 million in damages on behalf of her deceased son; the verdict included $106 million in compensatory damages and $106 million in punitive damages against shooter Travis Reinking ¹⁸.

Family

Brooks was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised by parents who were both police officers ²³. She is the mother of Akilah Dasilva, who was killed in a mass shooting at an Antioch Waffle House in 2018 ⁷⁹¹⁴. Brooks self-describes as a mom first and has founded the Akilah Dasilva Foundation to honor his legacy ¹⁴.

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