MARQUETTE, MI— The following is from Jenn Hill for State Representative:
Tuesday, Marquette City Commissioner and longtime clean energy and youth advocate Jenn Hill kicked off her campaign for State Representative in Michigan’s new 109th House District ahead of the 2022 election.
“As someone whose family moved four times before I was 9-years-old and knows all too well the stress of sitting at the kitchen table, deciding which bills we could afford to pay due to a job loss in the family, I understand the squeeze folks across the UP are feeling when it comes to making ends meet,” Jenn Hill said Tuesday. “Meanwhile, many in Lansing are more interested in partisan bickering and don’t do enough listening or solving real problems – I'm eager to change that. I’m running for State Representative to bring people together and build stronger, healthier communities where every Yooper has a fair shot to get ahead.”
Growing up in the Midwest, Jenn learned the importance of hard work, integrity, and service above self from her close-knit family who has come up to the UP to fish for generations. Her dad worked in a factory and later as a journalist while her mom worked as a teacher’s aide and church volunteer. Throughout her childhood, Jenn was active in 4-H, an experience that helped her develop practical skills —including that time she won a blue ribbon at the state fair for her dinner rolls— and grew as a leader, organizing county-wide events and serving as camp counselor at statewide natural resources camp.
Jenn worked hard in and out of the classroom, defying the low expectations of a working-class girl. She heard stories growing up how her grandfathers had left school to work in farms and factories while her mother’s mother never went beyond eighth grade, working as a waitress for decades. In high school, Jenn excelled, graduating #2 in her class while earning nine letters in three sports. After a season-ending knee injury junior year, she came back her senior year and was voted Female Athlete of the Year. Jenn’s first paycheck was for minimum wage at the local Bob Evans restaurant. She worked her way through college and graduate school with the help of multiple jobs, scholarships, and financial aid. It took her 17 years to pay off school loans.
Thanks to the power of education and encouraging teachers, Jenn pursued her interest in building sustainable communities and earned her Master’s in City Planning at MIT. For the last 25 years, she has led in the nonprofit sector nationally, building and scaling community-focused environmental, public health, arts and youth mentorship programs.
As Vice President of the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan, Jenn leverages her experience to advocate for consumer-first energy policies and keep more money in Michiganders’ pockets. Taking on the UP’s high electric rates, Jenn facilitated workshops where County Commissioners from every one of the Upper Peninsula’s 15 counties sought common ground to deal with the region’s aging infrastructure. She currently works at 5 Lakes Energy, researching the most cost-effective green technologies that will not only measure up to the UP’s challenging weather but also save Yoopers money.
Elected to the Marquette City Commission in 2018, Jenn is a proven problem solver who works with others to get results. People from all walks of life recognize her as someone who shows up, listens, and respects different points of view. From proposing innovative climate resiliency measures, to helping residents navigate bureaucratic red tape, Jenn never loses sight of the bigger picture and who she’s fighting for: the people. A lifelong hiker and canoer, Jenn enjoys gardening in her free time alongside her husband, Andrew, and seeing Lake Superior shining on the horizon as she shovels snow from her driveway.
Jenn continued, “I’ve centered my life around connecting people and resources, opening doors and overcoming challenges, to ensure no one is left behind. That’s what drives me and the approach I’ll take to Lansing as I get to work to create good-paying jobs, expand access to housing, affordable healthcare and childcare, strengthen public education, prioritize climate action, and improve access to broadband. For me, this is about the people of our UP who’ve been forgotten for far too long.”
Michigan’s new 109th District encompasses parts of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula including Alger, Baraga, Marquette Counties, and part of Dickinson County and the cities of Ishpeming, Marquette, Munising and Negaunee. HD-109 will be a race to watch in 2022 as Governor Whitmer won the district by 10 percent and President Biden carried the district narrowly. Marquette Commissioner Jenn Hill is focused on building upon her strong base of support in the region, and communicating her forward-looking message with the voters in HD-109.
Learn more at ElectJennHill.com, and follow the campaign online on Facebook (/JennHillForMI) and Twitter (@JMHill926).
