Jermany' Story
Jermany Gray was born and raised in Jackson, MS, by his mother, who had a long battle with Ovarian Cancer. While growing up, Jermany had a knack for speaking up about things he thought were wrong. This led him to aspire to become a Public Defender. In high school, Jermany learned that schools in Mississippi lacked comprehensive sexual education. After connecting with an organization called Teen Health Mississippi, he became determined to use his voice to advocate for better education in MS schools. This issue became one of many issues that Jermany worked to help fix.
Guided by his mantra, "With my short existence, I can make a difference," Jermany continued to make a difference in whatever way he could. In undergrad, Jermany worked to increase inclusivity and civic engagement within his college community. Following a global pandemic that affected everything, Jermany shifted his attention to the greater New Orleans community by signing up as a Poll Commissioner. There was a shortage of people who could serve due to the pandemic, so Jermany took it upon himself to step up to the plate. He served as a Poll Commissioner until his graduation in May of 2022. This achievement was bittersweet for Jermany because his mother passed from cancer during the previous semester. While saddened by this loss, Jermany was determined to finish his studies and was able to graduate at the top of his class. At this time, Jermany had more clarity about his goals in this world and set his sights on returning to his home of Jackson, MS. While others encouraged him to travel to other places, Jermany knew that the change that he wanted to make a difference for his home of Jackson and the state of Mississippi.
While pursuing a master's degree from Jackson State University, Jermany sought to deepen his connection to his community by getting more involved and learning more about the area's issues. Last year, Hinds County experienced a ballot shortage during one of the most critical elections in our state's history. Many were upset and confused about how this could happen, and Jermany was one of them. At a meeting regarding what happened, Jermany said that the commissioners must restore faith in our county's election process. After the meeting, Jermany reflected on a quote from Barack Obama: "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. Inspired by being the difference, Jermany is now seeking to be the next Hinds County Election Commissioner for District 3. This is a new journey for Jermany, but he is confident it is his time to step up and be a leader for his community.
