Meet Jesse

I’m running for District Leader in Assembly District 52 to make sure the Democratic Party works for Brooklyn.

Raised in North Carolina, I found a home in Brooklyn. I graduated from Appalachian State University, where I studied finance and learned to think logically about systems and processes. In Brooklyn, this passion for systems change led me to work on reform-minded campaigns across the borough that challenged broken political structures.

As a member of New Kings Democrats, I stepped forward in 2016 to help expand the club’s operations and harness the new wave of political energy. Serving as NKD’s Chief of Operations in 2018, I worked hard to enhance the club’s grassroots organizing structure.

Over the last two years, I’ve been a leading organizer of #RepYourBlock, a community-led campaign to support Brooklynites running for seats on County Committee. In addition to coordinating the borough-wide strategy, I focused on my home community of the 52nd Assembly District and helped over 130 of our neighbors run for County Committee.

I believe that the 52nd Assembly District can be a model for progressive Democratic Party organizing everywhere.

Through County Committee organizing, I’ve seen the enormous potential of our district to set an example for what an engaged Democratic Party could look like in our borough, our state, and our country. Right here in the 52nd Assembly District, there’s an opportunity to transform politics through on-the-ground organizing: knocking doors, connecting neighbors, and working closely with community groups, progressive political clubs, and elected officials committed to challenging entrenched political power.

As District Leader, I’ll work with our community to make sure Assembly District 52 leads the way in reforming our political system. Through my policy platforms, I hope to present a clear, progressive vision for the district and propose structural changes to make the Democratic Party more responsive to voters.

I see Party reform as a path to a more accountable government that will address our biggest policy concerns in the 52nd.

I live on Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill with my partner, Rene. I’m an avid bicyclist and I commute to Manhattan every day, where I work as the Director of Operations for a tech company that provides software to schools, non-profits, and businesses to extend the life of their computers.

For me, changing our political system is a path to tackling the biggest challenges facing our district and our city: addressing racial and economic inequities, improving transportation infrastructure, creating safer roads for pedestrians and cyclists, expanding housing options for low-income New Yorkers, and making sure the district is a leader in environmental practices. Together, these are the changes we’ll fight for and win.