Born at Lenox Hill Hospital and raised in Battery Park City, Jess Coleman's life intertwines with Lower Manhattan. Jess’s journey here started with the values his parents instilled in him: when your community is struggling, you step up. When your neighbors need a voice, you speak out. Growing up, he saw these lessons in action. His mom co-founded the Run for Knowledge to support P.S. 89’s library, and his dad helped rebuild the West Street ballfields for Downtown Little League. They taught him that transforming a community doesn’t happen by chance; it takes commitment, courage, and hard work.

Those lessons stuck with Jess, driving him to serve the community at every stage of his life. He coached Downtown Little League to give kids the same sense of belonging and teamwork he grew up with. He wrote for the Tribeca Trib to chronicle day-to-day life in the community. He fought for housing justice on Community Board 1, taking a stand for a homeless shelter in the Financial District when others shied away. Every step of the way, Jess felt the pull of his responsibility to the neighborhood that shaped him.

The challenges facing Lower Manhattan are not just talking points for Jess; they are personal. He has seen families forced out of their homes by soaring rents. He has experienced the frustration of inadequate public services and streets clogged with traffic. He also understands the fear of what climate change could mean for a neighborhood surrounded by bodies of water. These are not just abstract issues but real threats to the community he loves.

That’s why Jess is stepping up now. After earning his law degree, Jess returned to Tribeca with his wife Jessica, their cat Oliver, and their Boston Terrier Maxie, ready to fight for the neighborhood’s future. On Community Board 1, he co-chairs the Transportation Committee, cutting through noise and misconceptions to champion congestion pricing—a policy that would modernize public transit and improve air quality. He pushed for pedestrian-friendly projects like transforming Thames Street into a public plaza. Meanwhile, as an attorney, he held powerful interests accountable, representing victims of the opioid crisis in the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy, a fight that taught him how to stand firm against entrenched power.

For too long, Lower Manhattan has been held back by leaders unwilling to embrace change. Jess is ready to fight for the neighborhood he loves, with the courage to take on tough challenges and the heart to listen to the community every step of the way. Lower Manhattan’s future is on the line, and Jess Coleman is ready to step up, reimagining what’s possible for the community, and restoring faith in the progressive vision.