Braxton Winston

Winston was born in Camp Lejeune, a Marine corps base camp in Jacksonville, North Carolina where his father was stationed, and his mother worked as a teacher in the public-school system. The Winston family later relocated to Brooklyn, New York after his father retired from the military.[2]

After excelling academically in the New York City public school system, he enrolled in the PREP 9 program. He was later accepted at Phillips Academy Andover in Massachusetts, a co-educational university-preparatory school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, where he graduated.[4]

Winston arrived at Davidson College in 2001, the relative lack of racial diversity in the student body struck him. Shortly after the first week of classes, the September 11 attacks happened. After 9/11 he felt isolated from his family in New York, and challenged by academics taxed by the social situation.[5] He said he was mentally prepared. He took time off, took classes at University of North Carolina at Charlotte for a year. Eventually he returned to Davidson and graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Anthropology in 2006.[5]

After he graduated from Davidson College, he gained experience in videography in sports television and the entertainment production industry.  He is a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Union. Winston is a citizen-journalist and has produced stories not covered by traditional media outlets.[6]

When Winston found out about the death of Scott, he was on his way to work and was near a protest and started to participate. He told VICE News that he wanted to know how a person can sitting in his car to a death sentence. During the protest, Winston and other protesters encountered law enforcement.[7]

Police fired tear gas at protesters, Winston said that protesters were tear gassed for hours. To protect himself, Winston took off his shirt and covered his mouth. While facing Charlotte Mecklenburg Police he clenched his fist and raised it to the sky. A photo was taken at that moment by Charlotte Observer photographer Jeff Siner, and it went viral.[6]

While protesting Winston knew a few of the officers he was facing, and told Winston if he wanted change he run for office. He eventually did run for office, received the second highest vote of the city council in the 2017 election.[6]

As a city councilman, his goal is to address upward mobility, police reform and address racial issues in Charlotte.[3]