ӣ������

Not many 12-year-olds have an interest in politics, but Marcus Slade ’15, MPA, credits his early curiosity about the world of government to his seventh grade history and geography teacher — though not in the way you’d initially think.

“Ms. Burton had a deep admiration for then-President George W. Bush. I couldn’t understand why she liked him so much — so I spent some time researching him, the government in general and how the world works within it,” shared Slade. “It’s where I found a passion for politics, challenging viewpoints and the back and forth of open discussions.”

This inquisitive nature led Slade down a path into the world of politics, where he now works toward ensuring every person in every town in America is safe from gun violence.

HONING SKILLS 

When the time came for Slade to select a college to pursue a career in politics, the Caswell County, North Carolina native was looking for a school that would give him the opportunity to learn as much as possible and thrive emotionally within a community. In his research he found Lenoir-Rhyne.

“The small class sizes, proximity to home — not too far if an emergency occurred but far enough away to get the true college experience — and quality of the education, it checked all the boxes for me,” he said. Once on campus, Slade found not only the chance to grow in his studies but also as a person.

“I found myself being challenged in new ways, growing personally while being surrounded by a community of familiar socioeconomic peers that were also first-generation students,” he said. In the classroom, Slade continued his quest to understand more fully the United States government's role in the world.

“For me, Drs. Joe Mancos and Beth Wright were critical in my understanding of how the world and systems work. They really helped gear me towards public policy — giving me a clearer focus on how policy affects people, to really focus on the details and examine how people got to their thought process, leaving space to respect their views but also challenge them — to be respectful and honest while expressing a viewpoint,” he shared. “LR taught me that.”

Slade graduated in 2015 with his Bachelor of Science in political science and government and went on to earn his Master of Public Administration (MPA) in policy analysis, social policy, and domestic policy from Appalachian State University in 2017.

Post graduate school, Slade returned close to home, completing a year-long fellowship with Rockingham County’s local government. Networking led him to join the North Carolina Association of Realtors as government affairs assistant in 2018, then to political and candidate service coordinator for the House Democratic Caucus as part of the North Carolina Democratic Party in 2019, and government relations associate for the Center for Secure and Modern Elections in 2020.

“The year I spent at the Center for Secure and Modern Elections was such an eye-opening and rewarding experience. In creating awareness for voter registration, the processes and the amount of change a simple vote can create — it was really impactful,” Slade shares. “I take pride in the work we did, the hard conversations I was part of with Republicans and Democrats alike. Being part of that team allowed me to have conversations with high-up leaders and politicians in our country.”

Following his time at the elections center, Slade changed gears and worked in the corporate sphere as a public policy and government affairs member for Airbnb — a company that offers short-and-long-term homestays and experiences in various countries and regions.

“While at Airbnb, I really grew as a person — it helped me to learn about moving markets, prioritizing, the monitoring of legislation and regulatory matters, and how to advise companies on respecting policy challenges while ensuring progress is reported.”

When the opportunity to use his diverse experiences, wealth of knowledge in policy and government relations, and love for open dialogue to help save lives — Slade jumped at the opportunity.

Since September 2023 he has been the associate director for state government affairs for Everytown for Gun Safety — the largest gun violence prevention organization in America.

CREATING AWARENESS

As associate director for state government affairs, Slade leads and oversees state government advocacy efforts across four states — South Dakota, Indiana, Ohio and Missouri — fosters relationships and collaborative efforts at the state and local levels, and stays informed about the legislative agendas and political landscapes in each state while emphasizing the pursuit of gun violence prevention legislation.

“The biggest thing I tell people is I am not here to tell you not to have a gun — I am asking for everyone to be safer,” he shared. “Every day, 125 people in the United States are killed with guns, twice as many are shot and wounded, and countless others are impacted by acts of gun violence. Gun violence touches every town in America, and we want to help lower those numbers.”

In his position, Slade works remotely but is in constant contact with the consultants in each of the four states he helps represent. A typical day includes reading a lot of news, seeing what bills/legislation have been moved (particularly in those states), writing pieces and being a source of information.

“I love to get down to the foundational piece of things — so in this role I take the skills I learned in undergrad, graduate school and my time in government, and I apply them daily,” he shared. 
“As an organization and as part of the communities we help serve, we are supporting educational research for solutions, supporting survivors, advancing gun safety in the courts and building partnerships to raise awareness.”

According to the organization's website, their action plan includes enacting and implementing smart gun policies, electing gun sense candidates, demanding accountability, and advocating for safety reforms locally and nationally.

“Everytown for Gun Safety is what the name suggests — a movement to create gun safety for every single town. As an organization we put a big focus on grassroots efforts through organizing within every state to help create deeper community connections and create the momentum to lead to change — a change that will save lives.”

DEFINING SUCCESS 

With a passion for helping people, Slade has dedicated his professional career to helping them not only to be safe, but to be well informed and involved in government.

“It’s important that everyone understands what is happening behind the scenes within your local government, at the state level and the federal level,” Slade shared. “If you are informed, you can make smart choices and help others around you.”

Outside of his constant pursuit of government experience, Slade enjoys spending time with his wife, Adero, walking outside, watching comedies, reading and learning. 

“I am constantly striving to learn more, to be the best Marcus I can be and to be the best in my field,” he shared. “In my career and life I have made the constant effort to break generational curses, to be consistent and solid in the work I do and to work hard to achieve what I want. It is not always about money. The true defining aspect of a person at the end of the day is their character. You will go so far in life if you value others. Yes, you will disagree — but when you are having an educated conversation and listening to someone, you are showing you respect them and their opinion — even if it is different from your own. Be open to listening if you want them to hear your view as well.”

From his time in Caswell County to Lenoir-Rhyne to the state capital — Slade’s curiosity about the world around him led him to a career full of constant learning, hard but meaningful conversations and invaluable networking.