State Rep. Bruce Franks Jr., From Activist To Legislator

State representative Bruce Franks Jr. has come a long way in his 33 years. From a poor kid growing up in one of St. Louis' roughest neighborhoods, to political protester, to state legislator. Before being elected to the state house, Franks was best known for his activism in the Black Lives Matter movement, and for his rap music. Now, he's trying to be the change his community needs.

Read the lawmaker's new profile in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

The 4300 block of Gibson Avenue was among the more troublesome stretches, flush with guns, heroin and cocaine dealers. A beat cop at the time called Gibson a "premier street" for violent crime. It's where a scrawny Bruce Franks Jr. was living at age 6 with his family, including his 9-year-old brother, Christopher Harris.

In June of that year, Christopher was on a neighbor's porch talking about a trip he had taken the previous day. A man approached with a gun and the neighbor grabbed Christopher, using him as a human shield. The boy was shot in the back and died. Police said the shooting was a dispute between drug dealers.

Franks said he will continue to fight for justice in his community, and won't stop protesting just because he's now an elected official. Read more about his journey from the Post-Dispatch.

Photo: Missouri State Representative Bruce Franks stands before police in riot gear as protesters demonstrate following the acquittal of former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley, who was charged with first-degree murder last year in the shooting death of motorist Anthony Lamar Smith in 2011. (Michael B. Thomas/News/Getty Images)