Why I Ran For State Senate
Georgians deserve to live in a state where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
As a lifelong Georgian, school board member, and former public school teacher, I’ve seen how opportunities that should be available to all of us, are only available to a select few. I've also seen how these opportunities are influenced by what happens in the Georgia legislature.
From Grove Park to East Cobb, from Buckhead to Vinings, we deserve to have a state senator that will continue the fight for a strong public education system, access to affordable healthcare, a thriving economy, and a healthy, livable state that is welcoming and inclusive to all.
Each day at the Georgia State Capitol, I'm using my experience to help lead the fight for a brighter future and ensure your voice is heard.
With your help, we will work together for a better Georgia.
Meet Jason
Jason Esteves is the Georgia State Senator for District 6 and is focused on tackling issues that impact our families, especially public education, healthcare, housing, and economic opportunity. He was sworn in on January 9, 2023, and serves on the following Senate Committees: Children and Families, Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Finance, State and Local Governmental Operations, and Interstate Cooperation. He is also Vice Chair of Finance and a member of the executive team of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
He is a former at-large representative and Board Chair of the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education. In 2013, he became the first Latino elected to a school board in Georgia and focused his efforts on promoting equity and improving the financial outlook of the school system.
Under Jason’s leadership, APS attained its highest graduation rate to date (83.1%), provided over $100 million in staff pay increases and stipends, and increased APS’s fund balance to its highest levels while providing more money directly to school sites. Jason helped ensure that APS stepped up to address the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic--APS distributed hundreds of thousands of meals to families and provided every student with a laptop and, if needed, an internet hotspot. APS followed scientific guidance on masks, testing, and school re-opening despite pressure from Governor Kemp.
Jason also worked with his colleagues to tackle controversial issues. In his first year as Board Chair (2018), the Board adopted an Equity Policy and Anti-Racism Resolution that eventually led to the creation of the Center for Equity and Social Justice. He oversaw the process of renaming buildings with hurtful legacies. And he created an LGBTQ+ Task Force that recommended policy changes and additional support for LGBTQ+ students and staff in the district.
Jason is a partner at the law firm of Hudson Cook LLP, where he advises clients on regulatory, litigation, privacy and data security issues. Prior to joining Hudson Cook, he served as Vice President at Equifax Inc. and led the handling of regulatory matters, risk mitigation, and sensitive disputes and investigations for the company. He was a litigation associate at the law firm of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (now Dentons US LLP) after graduating from Emory University School of Law.
He serves as Treasurer of the Democratic Party of Georgia and is on the boards of several local non-profit organizations, including the Children's Museum of Atlanta. He is a member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, and is an alumnus of LEAD Atlanta (2012), Leadership Georgia (2015), and Outstanding Atlanta (2020), and Leadership Atlanta (2022).
Jason is married to Ariel, a graduate of Kennesaw State University and Emory University’s School of Nursing graduate program. Jason met Ariel while he attended Emory Law School. Ariel is the founder of WestsideMed, an urgent and primary care clinic in their neighborhood. Ariel is also Vice President of Clinical Operations at CareSource and is a board member of Planned Parenthood Southeast and the Soaring Owls Foundation (a neighborhood school foundation).
Jason and Ariel are proud parents of Jaeden (8) and Zoe (5), and reside in northwest Atlanta.
Priorities
Strong Public Schools
As a parent, school board member, and former public school teacher, Jason believes in the power of a strong public education system and knows that Georgia cannot thrive without improving our schools. Jason will advocate for fully funding public schools, supporting the work of local school districts to close opportunity gaps, and expanding early learning programs for three and four year olds.
Accessible and Affordable Healthcare
Through his wife Ariel, a nurse practitioner, Jason has learned the importance of having high quality healthcare options that are affordable and accessible. He also knows that healthcare involves more than healing your body, mental health and wellness are just as important. As a caretaker for his mother, who has Alzheimer's Disease, Jason has also seen the need to strengthen care and support for our seniors and their families. Jason will fight for the expansion of Medicaid, an increase in mental health supports, and more resources for senior care.
Economic Opportunity
Jason believes that everyone deserves to thrive in Georgia's economy and that you should get fair pay for your hard work. As the husband of a small business owner, he also understands the challenges and opportunities that come with opening a business. Jason will fight for a living wage, so that everyone can afford food, housing, and other necessities. Jason will also advocate for common-sense legislation to make it easier for small businesses to flourish, and a fair approach to taxes.
Environmental Justice
All families deserve to live in communities that are safe and clean. Jason also believes families should have access to clean, affordable energy and that sustainable infrastructure can help fuel our economy. But most importantly, Jason believes that we have a responsibility to conserve and protect land for future generations. He will advocate for renewable energy sources, expanding public transportation, and fight to address environmental concerns that exist across the state and in Senate District 6, including air contamination from ethylene oxide emissions and cleaning the Chattahoochee River.
A Welcoming and Inclusive Georgia
While we may have diverse backgrounds and beliefs, we all deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. Jason is pro-choice, pro-equality, and an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. He will fight to strengthen voting rights and voting integrity. And he will fight against laws that discriminate against people because of who they are, where they are from, or who they love.
Jason strongly believes that by working together, we can build a brighter, better Georgia.
Endorsements
