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Jamal Bryant Launches Bid For Congress

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Rev. Jamal Bryant, who gave the eulogy at Freddie Gray's funeral and has been active in the city's movement against police brutality, is running for a congressional seat in Maryland's 7th district.

Bryant is expected to make the announcement official at 10 a.m. Monday at 1505 N. Eutaw Place.

"After prayer, soul searching and long deliberation, I am officially- -announcing my candidacy for Congress of the United States representing the 7th Congressional District," he said in a statement. "After the Freddie Gray uprising, the proliferation of police brutality across this nation, the lack of jobs, widespread poverty and hopelessness throughout our urban areas, I decided that leading a successful congregation and building a great church is not enough. I want to contribute to public policy in Washington."

Bryant says he's running for Congress because "people who care can find solutions to even the most difficult problems."

He says he never runs away from a challenge.

"I know from experience that there is no problem we can't solve," Bryant adds.

The leader of the Empowerment Temple AME church in Baltimore, Bryant has led protests in the city following Gray's arrest and death and throughout the city's unrest back in April. He has also participated in other marches and movements throughout the city including the 300 Men March.

"My intentions are to give a new voice to the issues that affect every day working men and working women by proposing new ideas. Unfortunately, many of the people I speak with every day want new leadership," he said. "There is an anti-incumbent sentiment that suggests that our current leaders are ineffective. I want to shift that paradigm and offer a ray of hope and some concrete solutions to their dismay."

A native Baltimorean, he holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Studies from Moorehouse College in Atlanta, a Master of Divinity degree from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and a Doctorate of Ministry degree from the Graduate Theological Foundation.

"Let me say to my friends in neighborhoods and communities across the district," said Bryant, "we do not need a leader that will just listen and not deliver. We do not need leadership that is going along to get along. We do not need a leader that wants a title, but does not know what it means to serve."

The 7th District congressional seat is currently held by Rep. Elijah Cummings who has been weighing a run for Sen. Barbara Mikulski's seat, which will be open after she retires.

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