Kristian Grant

Kristian Grant earned a bachelor's degree in social relations and policy from Michigan State University. Grant's career experience includes owning Sydney's Boutique, Mini Mogul Academy, and the 12 Oakes Business & Innovation Center.[1][2]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in the heart of the 82nd District, on the Southeast side of Grand Rapids. After graduating from Ottawa Hills I attended Michigan State University, where I earned a degree in Social Relations & Policy. Since graduating and returning home, I’ve been devoted to public service, serving for the past 6 years as a trustee on the Grand Rapids Public School’s Board of Education. I’ve been on the frontlines of the fight to strengthen our public schools, lobbying state officials to make the largest investment in these schools in decades. During the peak of the pandemic, I served as chair of the board and was responsible for making the tough decisions that protected the health of the children and families we serve. I also worked diligently to provide thousands of children across the city with access to free community college as part of my work with the Grand Rapids Promise Zone Authority. In addition to this, I work in real estate development, working to remove blight from our neighborhoods and ramp up the efforts to bring truly affordable housing to Grand Rapids.

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?

Invest in our Children: While Governor Whitmer has worked across the aisle with the Republican controlled state legislature to approve an historic investment in public education, there is still more work to do. We must continue to pass legislation that increases pay for our teachers, increases access to mental health resources in our schools, and provides our schools with the resources they need to adequately educate our children. This investment is key for a prosperous future.Increase access to affordable housing: For years now Grand Rapids has struggled with a housing market that’s becoming less affordable by the day. As your representative, getting housing prices under control will be a top priority. We must provide developers with meaningful incentives and grants to build in Grand Rapids, and do all that we can to reduce construction costs. We must also work to provide families with easier pathways to home ownership, rather than letting multi-million dollar corporations put up roadblocks. We’ve seen historical under-investment in a large portion of this district—that must change, and in the process of attracting investment we must prevent displacement of families who have called the Southeast home for decadesProtect Women’s Rights: The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn decades of precedent set forth by Roe v. Wade, and in turn abridge the right of women across this country to make private decisions regarding their health, safety, and ability to raise a child is absurd. In the state of Michigan, we are threatened by a law that is almost 100 years old which would make nearly all instances of abortion illegal. As your state representative, I will vote to repeal the outdated and out of touch 1930’s abortion ban, and replace it with legislation that affirms the right of women to make their own healthcare decisions.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about police reform. Police are needed, but reform must occur. This includes investing in organizations that are best equipped to deal with mental health crises—which the police are not.

I am passionate about reducing gun violence. We must remove high capacity magazines and assault rifles from our streets, implement red flag and safe storage laws, and work to address the root causes of violence as well. Investing in services for our youth, providing affordable housing, building an economy full of well-paying jobs—these are all things that will reduce violence in our communities.

I am passionate about protecting our environment. We must protect this state’s abundance of natural resources and public lands from exploitation from corporations, and preserve it for all Michiganders, current and future, to enjoy. We must also invest in clean energy that is both affordable and accessible to move away from dependence on coal and fossil fuels.

I am passionate about strengthening our public education system. This includes fully funding K-12 and raising the pay of our teachers, but also making higher education more affordable for families in this district.

I am passionate about attracting economic development to this district. We must rectify the errors of the past and invest in Southeast Grand Rapids by being intentional with zoning, and offering grants and incentives that will also work to protect those who live in the district from displacement.

Grant provided the following responses for the voter guide compiled by MLive.com:

Why are you running for office?

I am running for GRPS School Board because I am passionate about our students and the quality of education that they have access to. I am a product of GRPS and also the mother of a GRPS student. For the past 10 years I have committed time and personal resources to students in our school district. I believe that Grand Rapids is a resource rich community and that if we make our public school district a priority that we can connect our students to these resources which will result in a thriving community for families and businesses alike.

What are your top three priorities?

3rd Grade Reading- I manage a program at United Way that focuses on students reading at grade level by 3rd grade. I'm passionate about this work because of the harsh implications that reading below grade level after 3rd grade can have on a child's future personally and professionally. 16% of children who are not proficient by the end of 3rd grade do not graduate high school on time.

Graduation Rates: The district has increased graduation rates by 12% and I believe this should continually be a main goal . It will take a comprehensive strategy including professional development of teachers, reducing absenteeism, examining the delivery of curriculum, and implementing programs for at risk students to name a few.

Equal access to resources for our students: I believe that access can be the key between failure and success for our students. As a voice for students and parents I will push for equal access to resources within the district and the wider community for our schools.

What is the most pressing issue for this office?

I believe the most pressing issue that faces our school district right now is funding. To build a top urban school district we must invest in it. Technology is always changing and upgrading, but it is very important that our students have access to it. Creating environments that give our students places to learn and create is also important and vital to their success. We should be able to pay our educators and administration competitive wages so that we retain and attract exceptional staff. All of this requires adequate funding. I am very proud to be a part of a community that has shown financial support for the district in its strides to grow and improve. A successful public school district benefits the entire community whether a family’s students attend the public schools or not. Studies show that a successful public school district attracts companies, jobs and opportunities for that city. I believe we must invest in our district to continue advancing a better Grand Rapids.[1][7]

—Kristian Grant (2016)