Dr. Tom Kottke

The day after his eighth grade graduation, he began working in McDonald's with his father on the weekends and always held a job throughout high school and beyond. In the summer of 2008, I think he was about 20 at the time, he was the victim of a shooting that resulted in his loss of vision. After problems with his family and nowhere else to turn, Anthony moved into a homeless shelter.

The day after his eighth grade graduation, he began working in McDonald's with his father on the weekends and always held a job throughout high school and beyond. In the summer of 2008, I think he was about 20 at the time, he was the victim of a shooting that resulted in his loss of vision. After problems with his family and nowhere else to turn, Anthony moved into a homeless shelter.

While residing in the shelter, Anthony was introduced to a mentor whom he credits with changing the entire trajectory of his life. He enrolled in the New School where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts before attending New York University and obtaining his Master in Social Work in 2016.

While residing in the shelter, Anthony was introduced to a mentor whom he credits with changing the entire trajectory of his life. He enrolled in the New School where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts before attending New York University and obtaining his Master in Social Work in 2016.

Since graduating, he's had a number of positions in the workforce, such as social worker for young men of color at Kings County District Attorney's Office in Brooklyn. He's been a recovery specialist with Community Access. And after leaving that program, he relocated here to Minneapolis with his girlfriend, where he works as a therapist for offenders of sex crimes.

Since graduating, he's had a number of positions in the workforce, such as social worker for young men of color at Kings County District Attorney's Office in Brooklyn. He's been a recovery specialist with Community Access. And after leaving that program, he relocated here to Minneapolis with his girlfriend, where he works as a therapist for offenders of sex crimes.

When he's not working, he participates in multi-sport endurance competitions, which has afforded him the opportunity to travel to over six countries and half the United States. As a social worker, Anthony strives to be an advocate for the underserved and help people navigate the many hardships one may endure on a daily basis.

When he's not working, he participates in multi-sport endurance competitions, which has afforded him the opportunity to travel to over six countries and half the United States. As a social worker, Anthony strives to be an advocate for the underserved and help people navigate the many hardships one may endure on a daily basis.

And as I mentioned, I know Anthony because we both sit on the board of Protect Minnesota, where he is the current chair. So thank you very much, Anthony, for that. joining me on this podcast.

And as I mentioned, I know Anthony because we both sit on the board of Protect Minnesota, where he is the current chair. So thank you very much, Anthony, for that. joining me on this podcast.

Yeah, sure. And I personally have been affected when about 40 years ago when my daughter was a student at JJ Hill, one of her classmates didn't show up for school that day because the three-year-old had found a pistol in the couch And you don't have to complete the sentence. You know what happened.

Yeah, sure. And I personally have been affected when about 40 years ago when my daughter was a student at JJ Hill, one of her classmates didn't show up for school that day because the three-year-old had found a pistol in the couch And you don't have to complete the sentence. You know what happened.

And then when I was in practice over at Riverside, just around the corner, again, a kid, about three, found a pistol in a wastebasket where it had been, quote, secreted and shot his brother and killed him. And so a couple of take-homes. There's no such thing as a hidden gun.

And then when I was in practice over at Riverside, just around the corner, again, a kid, about three, found a pistol in a wastebasket where it had been, quote, secreted and shot his brother and killed him. And so a couple of take-homes. There's no such thing as a hidden gun.

You may think if you have a firearm in your home, you may think that it's hidden from your kids, but it's more likely to be hidden from you because you've forgotten about it than your kids. Your kids know everything. I mean, if they can find Christmas presents, they know where the guns are. And because 50% of homes have a firearm in them, when your kids go over to play,

You may think if you have a firearm in your home, you may think that it's hidden from your kids, but it's more likely to be hidden from you because you've forgotten about it than your kids. Your kids know everything. I mean, if they can find Christmas presents, they know where the guns are. And because 50% of homes have a firearm in them, when your kids go over to play,

there's a fair chance that there's a unlocked, loaded firearm in that house. And so my suggestion is before a play date, you're setting up a play date. Your Timmy is going to go play over at Johnny's. So you call Johnny's mom and say, are the firearms in your home locked and unloaded with ammo, also locked and stored separately? Okay, so Johnny's mom says, well, we don't have firearms.

there's a fair chance that there's a unlocked, loaded firearm in that house. And so my suggestion is before a play date, you're setting up a play date. Your Timmy is going to go play over at Johnny's. So you call Johnny's mom and say, are the firearms in your home locked and unloaded with ammo, also locked and stored separately? Okay, so Johnny's mom says, well, we don't have firearms.

I said, great, perfect. She says, yeah, they're all locked and put away. So you say, I'm really glad about that. And she says, no, we have one in the bedside table for protection. I say, well, maybe let's have Johnny come over here. I'm very uncomfortable with having my child in a home where there's an unlocked firearm.

I said, great, perfect. She says, yeah, they're all locked and put away. So you say, I'm really glad about that. And she says, no, we have one in the bedside table for protection. I say, well, maybe let's have Johnny come over here. I'm very uncomfortable with having my child in a home where there's an unlocked firearm.