Daniel William Agnew, affectionately known as Danny, was born in Blue Island, Illinois, at St. Francis Hospital on March 23, 1989, to Theresa and Barney Agnew. His formative years were spent on the South Side of Chicago. As a little boy, he loved to make drums of his high chair and had a voracious appetite for life. He was an observant and attentive child. He came from a loving house full of children and he adored his family. Daniel is the third of four handsome brothers, Phillip, Brent, and Cameron Agnew. He leaves behind two nephews, Brendan and Gavin, one niece, Prin “Prinny Pooh” Agnew, and a sister-in-law, Cortni Agnew.

Daniel graduated from Dunn Academy for Community Education and went on to attend Christian Fenger Academy High School. Danny’s journey into adolescents was arduous. His challenges with young adulthood landed him into a correctional boot camp program which later attributed to his discipline, dedication, and perseverance. Daniel was designated a leader and earned his GED in 2009. He studied at Urban League of Central Carolinas, where he gained training in social justice, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. Daniel was a studious and fervent learner. He quickly picked up many talents, passions, and interests. In his early years, he played the violin and eventually the trumpet.

Daniel moved to Miami, Florida, in 2012 where he co-founded the Dream Defenders, an organization that began after the unjust murder of Trayvon Martin, with his brother, Phillip Agnew, and 30 other diligent co-founders. Daniel loved Black people vehemently and spent his life dedicated to many causes that touched his heart. He fell in love with Miami and it quickly became his praised and proud home. Daniel chose to live and nurture communities that reminded him of the South Side of Chicago. Liberty City, Miami, quickly became a place dear to his heart because of its rich history and community of Black people.

Daniel was an artist and visionary. Daniel could accomplish any discipline he devoted himself to, from woodburning, to graphic design, curation, and even singing. In 2013, he designed and illustrated the logo for what would eventually become ROOTS. A year later, he crafted a clothing line that would represent the values and designs of our social justice movements. In 2015, Daniel and his friend, Isaiah “Zaybo” Thomas founded ROOTS collective; a group of visionaries dedicated to the economic growth of the Black community. He started the Black Marketplace to lift up and support local and independent Black businesses in Miami. Daniel spearheaded a multitude of young Black businesses and helped new business owners. Danny’s dream grew into a cultural movement and laid the foundation for so many to be employed, fed, educated and inspired. In 2016, he was honored with the Black Male Empowerment leader award and continued to be acknowledged for his work in Liberty City. In 2018, he sourced and facilitated all vendors for the Maroon Poetry Festival at the Tacolcy Belafonte Center and was a published author and poet. In that same year, Danny fulfilled a long-held dream to open a brick and mortar for the community and the Black House was founded. He never quit. In 2020, he started along with Sherina Jones, the creation of the Village Fridge Initiative feeding almost 250 community members a day. Daniel had a youthful spirit and brazen smile. He deeply loved children and started youth programming for kids so they could create and learn imperative life skills.

Daniel Agnew was a persevering and diligent supporter of others. He co-founded, collaborated, and partnered with many pivotal Miami collectives and organizations including Smoke Signals Studio, the Smile Trust, Black Men Build, The BLCK Family, Say Sukii Flowers, Poetry Potluck, and so many more. He was a resilient and unapologetic community organizer. 

Tragically, on June 15, 2023, Danny was taken from us in a car accident. We lost a giant, a beautifully brilliant, and evolving free-spirit.