At six-foot-six, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jason Esteves literally towered over a roomful of students last Friday at Putnam County High School. But he didn’t begin his pitch with talk of policy or politics.
Instead, he started with a story. His own.
“I’m Jason Esteves, and I am running to be governor,” he plainly stated before tracing a path that led from growing up in Columbus to the classroom, the courtroom, and eventually to the Georgia State Senate.
But it was far from a straight route.
Esteves described himself as the son of parents who never attended college, but stressed two core values: work hard and leave your community better than you found it.
“I always had a North Star,” he said. “Every decision I made was based around, ‘Will this help people?’”
That mindset initially led him toward medicine. Throughout most of high school, Esteves said he planned to become a doctor, so upon graduating, he enrolled at the University of Miami as a biology major. It didn’t take long, however, to recognize that the path wasn’t leading in the right direction for him.
So, Esteves said he pivoted to psychology, and then switched direction again, into teaching. His first job out of college was as a middle school social studies teacher, a role he still calls “the hardest job I’ve ever done.”
It also turned out to be the most influential.
“I taught a whole bunch of kids that reminded me of me,” he said. “And I saw they were not getting the same kinds of opportunities that I felt like they deserved.”
That realization pushed him toward law school and public policy, with the aim of addressing inequities he had witnessed firsthand in the classroom. From there, he spent a decade on the Atlanta Public Schools board before being elected to the Georgia Senate.
His message to students was that opportunity should not be dictated by geography.
“I want to make sure your zip code did not determine your pathway,” Esteves said. “Whether it’s becoming a lawyer, a mechanic, an artist — whatever your heart’s desire — you should have that opportunity.”
That theme carried into a broader discussion about work ethic. Esteves admitted he wasn’t always a high achiever.
“At the University of Miami, I went to the library three times in four years,” he said. “At Emory Law School, I went every single day.”
The result: a modest undergraduate GPA followed by graduating with honors from law school.
“Same person; what changed was my work ethic,” he told the students.
Esteves’ advice to students was simple but direct: build habits that prioritize effort, even when it’s not visible.
“The best habit you can develop is putting in the work, even when no one’s looking,” he said.
While much of his talk focused on personal experience, Esteves eventually described key aspects of his campaign platform, particularly education and workforce development. It’s a way to differentiate himself from a crowded race of seven hopeful Democratic contenders.
Esteves is calling for stronger early childhood education to ensure students enter kindergarten prepared, reducing the burden on teachers to “play catch-up.” At the other end of the pipeline, he emphasized support for multiple career paths rather than presuming four years of college or university.
For too long, Esteves said, many students have been told that skipping college equals failure, a notion he strongly rejects.
“If you hired a carpenter, a plumber, an electrician, these folks are making money,” he said. “We need to encourage our young people to go into the trades.”
Esteves said he’s framed his campaign around what he calls “a forward-looking vision centered on health, wealth, and opportunity.”
First, to make it even possible, he said full-time workers need to be able to afford healthcare, secure housing, and provide their children with quality education. He insisted, “We have the resources; we have the talent,” but what’s missing most often is “leadership.”
Wrapping up, Esteves shifted from inspiring rhetoric and storytelling to urging PCHS students to stay engaged, involved, and dedicated to making positive change.
“You can change the face of leadership in Georgia for generations to come,” he said.