Jessie Shepherd

Jessie Shepherd earned a high school diploma from Hillsboro High School and an associate degree from St. Louis Community College in 2016. Her career experience includes working in advocacy.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm running to be your next State Representative because I’m passionate about our community. I currently serve on the City of Herculaneum Park Board, the Jefferson County Democratic Central Committee and have volunteered with the League of Women Voters. My career experience in disability supports has taught me to listen to individuals to identify their needs, find solutions to challenges and eliminate barriers to living their best lives. I know these skills will translate well to constituent services. Beyond my current career, my diverse work experience includes food service, retail, warehouse labor and sales. This gives me a wide perspective on many different walks of life. As a third generation Jefferson Countian I am driven to make our county the best it can be. I truly believe we can make positive change by giving everyone a voice in our legislation. I care about listening to all our constituents and having meaningful conversations. That’s how we overcome challenges together, as a community.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Pro-ChoicePro-UnionPro-Education

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Advocacy and funding for Disability Services will always be near and dear to me as I have seen first hand the difference having access to these supports can make in the life of someone who has a disability. I also deeply care about improving work conditions for Missouri's public school teachers and, in turn, quality of education for Missouri's students. I am prochoice and believe the only people who should have a say in the healthcare a pregnant person receives should be that individual and their doctor. I will fiercely defend your right to bodily autonomy.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I have had so many positive influences in my life; if I had to choose just one it would be my late mother, Patricia Shepherd. She was an educator and taught English for several years. Even when she was a stay at home mom she was still a teacher in many respects, helping my sister and I excel in school and even tutoring/homeschooling one of my cousins while she was unable to attend public school for medical reasons. Once my sister and I were older she worked for Head Start as a home visitor. The pay was low but she didn't do it for the money, she did it because she cared about others. In fact, she spent most of her paycheck on classroom supplies to help children build the foundations of their educations. I am certain my drive to help my community grow and succeed comes from the example my mother set for me.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Fairness, diplomacy and empathy are characteristics important for a legislator to possess. Even when I am talking with someone I don't agree with I can often understand why a person holds the opinion they do. You don't have to agree with someone to understand them or where they are coming from.

What is your favorite book? Why?

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a classic coming of age story that addresses issues like discrimination, racism, injustice. It teaches an important lesson about the profound impact prejudice can have on a community.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Walk Like an Egyptian by The Bangles

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Most of the biggest challenges Missouri faces revolve around reversing the damage done by policies enacted by the Republican super majority over the last 20 years. Our state is 50th in education funding from the state level. This has led municipalities increasing property taxes in order to fund schools. Eased restrictions on gun laws have lead to Missouri having the fourth-highest rate of gun deaths in the United States. When the Republican legislature repealed the permit to purchase mandate we saw a 28% increase in gun deaths, a 23% increase in gun suicides and a 38% increase in stolen firearms. Missouri's state employees are so underpaid many departments are at near catastrophic staffing levels. Our federal government had to send assistance because wait times for Medicaid applications exceeded 100 days, over double the federal requirement. We had a $4.9 billion budget surplus for the 2022 fiscal year, yet our state programs are imploding with a quarter of Missouri school districts forced to drop to four days per week. We have certainly got our work cut out for us if we want to improve quality of life for Missourians. I am confident that I am the right person to come up with solutions to these challenges.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Given that I believe most of our State's programs are suffering from a lack of funding I would like to be on the Budget Committee. I would also like to be on the Health and Mental Health Policy Committee.