Jacob Frey turns 40 today. If that sounds like a milestone, it’s nothing compared to being a double chai when he was elected one of Minneapolis’ youngest mayors ever just shy of four years ago. And it completely pales in comparison to 2020, when the murder of George Floyd thrust the city and its young leader into the international spotlight.
Wavy-haired and affable, Frey could be the grandson of any bubbe and zayde. He grew up the son of professional modern ballet dancers in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. After graduating law school and settling in at a big firm in the Twin Cities, he entered politics. His adopted city once known more for musical icon Prince and having the largest number of theater seats per capita outside of New York City is now ground zero for a worldwide racial reckoning.