In a story that piqued my interest, as HD 53 is my new district (got the voter reg card in the mail yesterday!), Rep. Elly Dobbs has endorsed Jason Esteves in the race to succeed her. This gets particularly interesting because Rep. Sheila Jones also represents this district (this was one of those black person/white person redrawn districts), and Robert Patillo is also running for the Democratic nomination. Here’s the release:
ATLANTA – Today, Rep. Elly Dobbs (D-53) announced her endorsement for Jason Esteves to be her replacement to represent the people of House District 53.
Esteves, a former public school teacher and local attorney, recently announced his candidacy to represent District 53. Esteves is currently a business and commercial litigator at the Atlanta law firm of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP.
“Jason is the perfect person to represent our diverse district,” said Dobbs, who announced in April that she would not seek reelection. “He and I share a passion for public service and working to ensure students in this state have the resources they need to succeed. I know that he work tirelessly for his constituents, listen to their opinions, update them on all important issues and represent them to the best of his ability under the Gold Dome.”
Esteves is a lifelong Democrat and was raised in Columbus, Georgia. He was a public school teacher in Houston, Texas as a corps member in the Teach For America program. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami and a Juris Doctorate from the Emory University School of Law.
As a teacher, Esteves had the opportunity to work with students to help them achieve academic success. This experience taught him that he could positively affect the lives of others and instilled in him a commitment to further serve his communities. Esteves is committed to using this passion and experience to improve the lives of the residents of District 53.
“The people of our district deserve active representation,” Esteves said. “I will be that person, serving as a tireless advocate for and listener to the needs of the people of District 53.”
In the classroom, Esteves learned about the importance of educational equity. “Education is the most important moral, economic, and political issue of our time,” Esteves said. “We will not progress towards the future without addressing the deficiencies in our education system.”
Along with fighting to ensure every child has access to an excellent public school, Esteves will support economic policies that will enhance life for all working families in Georgia and promote regional transit solutions that benefit District 53 and ensure Atlanta remains a world-class city.
Esteves is actively involved in communities across the Metro area. He is a board member of KIPP South Fulton Academy, Georgia Hispanic Bar Association, Georgia Appleseed Young Professionals Council, and the Georgia Supreme Court Commission on Access to the Courts. He also is active in the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Young Professionals for Educational Equity, Red Clay Democrats, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys and Gate City Bar Association. Esteves is a member of the LEAD Atlanta Class of 2012.
Esteves is engaged to Ariel Morris, a local nurse practitioner. The two are set to marry after the election.
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