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Leaders

Will Jawando

County Councilmember / Montgomery County, MD

Will Jawando is an attorney, activist, and community leader with a lifelong dedication to public service.

His is a career crafted by a unique combination of grit, compassion, and integrity. Born to a Nigerian father and white Kansan mother in Silver Spring, Md., Will’s bi-racial identity gave him an appreciation for the varied experiences life in America can bring. Raised in a low-income household, he was determined to secure a successful future for himself through the pathway of education. When he was a teenager, however, tragedy struck when one of his best friends was killed in a senseless act of gun violence.

The aftermath of this ordeal would be the catalyst that would solidify Will’s commitment to becoming an agent of change through public service. With unwavering dedication, he earned a B.A. in Sociology from Catholic University of America (CUA) and completed his J.D. from the prestigious CUA Columbus School of Law. While attending CUA, he started the first NAACP chapter on their campus – a move that would chart the course for his burgeoning career in law and politics.

Described as “the progressive leader we need” by revered civil rights activist and Congressman, John Lewis, Will has worked with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senator Sherrod Brown, and then-Senator Barack Obama. During the 8-year Obama Administration, Will had the honor of serving as Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, followed by a position as an advisor to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in the U.S. Department of Education. He has worked tirelessly to ensure a quality education, opportunities for prosperity and guaranteed civil rights are available to every American.

In 2017, he spearheaded Summer R.I.S.E., a summer job shadowing program in partnership with Worksource Montgomery, state and county government, and Montgomery County Public Schools that placed over 400 high school students in enriching career experiences.

Will is the co-leader of the African-American Student Achievement Action Group (AASAG) which works with MCPS and the community to advocate for strategies to close opportunity and achievement gaps for African American students in Montgomery County Public Schools. In 2014, he founded Our Voices Matter, Maryland, a social justice non-profit that works with all communities to develop broader civic engagement, grassroots activism, and leadership. Will is also a co-founder of the African Immigrant Caucus (AIC) whose mission is to increase civic engagement, economic development and political participation of Africans in the diaspora, in Maryland, D.C.and Virginia.

As the former Director of Corporate and Government Affairs at Discovery Communications, he oversaw the development of public-private partnerships that would aid in STEM opportunities for Maryland’s youth.

Buoyed by his commitment to serve others, in 2016 Will was the youngest candidate in Maryland’s 8th District congressional race and received a glowing endorsement from the Congressional Black Caucus and thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. A regular commentator for MSNBC and cable news, Jawando is fast becoming a voice of authority on issues surrounding the nation’s political climate, public policy, and social justice. He has been featured in an array of national media outlets including, NBC News, the New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, MTV, and NY Magazine.

It’s Will’s family and friends that keep him grounded and focused on what’s most important in life. A devoted husband and father of three beautiful girls and one boy, his family is his greatest achievement. He and his wife Michele work together to create a loving and safe environment for their children, and won’t rest until Americans everywhere, can have the same.

Will Jawando’s Ideas

Food for Montgomery

Problem With Covid there is an unprecedented degree of food insecurity in Montgomery County. Not only was there a greater need in the number of […]

Safety Net | Will Jawando | County Councilmember | Montgomery County, MD

New Standards for Police Use of Force

The new law creates new policies to protect vulnerable community members and amends the use of force policy so that deadly force and other dangerous practices are only utilized as a last resort.

Criminal Justice, Equity & Opportunity, Public Safety | Will Jawando | County Councilmember | Montgomery County, MD

The Law Enforcement Trust and Transparency Act (LETT Act)

Problem Police-involved deaths are frequently in the national headlines. Where racial profiling and bias in policing is common, this is the worst possible outcome. In […]

Smart Government | Will Jawando | County Councilmember | Montgomery County, MD

Latest News

  • NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan's Op-ed in RouteFifty: Roe is Gone. States and Localities Must Protect Reproductive Rights

    By Debbie Cox Bultan, CEO, NewDEAL JUNE 27, 2022 05:14 PM ET   COMMENTARY | The 50-year era of Roe v. Wade has ended. We need […]

    READ MORE

  • Rebecca Perkins Kwoka Opinion in the Concord Monitor: Climate change is our generation’s make-or-break moment

    By Rebecca Perkins Kwoka Rebecca Perkins Kwoka is a state senator representing NH’s 21st District. She is a member of NewDEAL’s national network of state […]

    READ MORE

Recent News

NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan’s Op-ed in RouteFifty: Roe is Gone. States and Localities Must Protect Reproductive Rights

June 28, 2022
By Debbie Cox Bultan, CEO, NewDEAL JUNE 27, 2022 05:14 PM ET   COMMENTARY | The 50-year era of Roe v. Wade has ended. We need […]
https://newdealleaders.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Debbie_pic.jpg 906 764 Jordan Smith https://newdealleaders.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-tnd-300x74.png Jordan Smith2022-06-28 14:04:372022-06-28 14:04:37NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan’s Op-ed in RouteFifty: Roe is Gone. States and Localities Must Protect Reproductive Rights

Rebecca Perkins Kwoka Opinion in the Concord Monitor: Climate change is our generation’s make-or-break moment

June 27, 2022
By Rebecca Perkins Kwoka Rebecca Perkins Kwoka is a state senator representing NH’s 21st District. She is a member of NewDEAL’s national network of state […]
https://newdealleaders.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/perkins-kwoka.jpg 1116 1116 Jordan Smith https://newdealleaders.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-tnd-300x74.png Jordan Smith2022-06-27 16:25:312022-06-27 16:25:31Rebecca Perkins Kwoka Opinion in the Concord Monitor: Climate change is our generation’s make-or-break moment

NewDEAL Statement on Supreme Court Opinion Overturning Roe v Wade 

June 24, 2022
For Immediate Release:                                                                 June 24, 2022                                                                          Contact: Jonathon Dworkin (NewDEAL), 202-660-1340 x5, jonathon@newdealleaders.org   NewDEAL Statement on Supreme Court Opinion Overturning Roe v Wade  Washington, […]
https://newdealleaders.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Roe-ruling-02.png 833 833 Jordan Smith https://newdealleaders.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-tnd-300x74.png Jordan Smith2022-06-24 15:22:162022-06-24 15:34:30NewDEAL Statement on Supreme Court Opinion Overturning Roe v Wade 

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