Anthony is a dedicated family man, community leader, and advocate who is known as a humble hero. He was raised by his grandmother, Delaine Cook-Green (also known as Mother Cook-Green). He grew up on the Northeast side of Rochester, NY in the F.I.G.H.T. Village housing projects. It was there that Anthony first learned the importance of “community” from the example of his grandmother who has been a staunch trailblazer for Northeast Rochester’s most vulnerable. She inspired Anthony to start B.O.O.K.B.A.G.S. Express a grassroots campaign to provide back-to-school supplies and scholarships. In this time, Anthony has giveaway 32,000 bookbags and $15,000 in scholarships in the last 15 years. Anthony served as a Youth Intervention Gang Specialist for Pathways to Peace for the City of Rochester (NY), serving on the front lines by helping to build a safer City for Rochester’s young people and believed his role was to promote love and justice during times of civil unrest.
Feeling called to expand his service, Anthony left Pathways to Peace to take an opportunity in the K-12 education system as a Dean at Vertus High School. As Dean, he had a closer view into the lives of his students, which gave him the experience that led him to run for an at-large elected seat on Rochester’s City Council. He pursued a seat on City Council because he knew it would take collective action of Government and Community members to move the needle against any of Rochester’s challenges.
After his run, Anthony then returned to the City of Rochester’s Pathways to Peace program as the program’s Director. He led efforts of directing at-risk individuals to a healthier lifestyle and feeding the homeless, relocating families, and providing jobs and sustainable opportunities for Rochester residents. Anthony has been nominated for the Thomas A. Banister Jr. Community Leader 2019 Rochester Black Men Achieve, Leadership Award 2023 from the Black & Latino Health Foundation. Anthony has been the recipient of numerous awards such as The Peace Maker in Action 2022 Teen Empowerment Community Leadership Award 2020 Roc Awards, and the James McCuller Award of Excellence 2023, he holds proclamations from the City of Rochester and the County of Monroe for his commitment to serving. Anthony’s service to the City is illustrated in this video.
