Meet Our 2024
Champions in Berrien County
Jessica Gomez
County Commission Candidate - District 12
Berrien County Commission Candidate
Jessica Gomez
Jessica Gomez is a Berrien County Commissioner candidate in District 12. Jessica works as an account manager and community activist. Jessica aligns with Berrien Forward’s values with a strong focus on women’s rights, affordable housing, providing basic public transportation to connect our communities, the need to improve public infrastructure and social services such as childcare, mental health, food insecurity and attracting businesses and jobs to spur growth. As a population center of Berrien County, we need to invest in Niles with public infrastructure projects, reopening the courthouse and attracting businesses with stronger internet and better access to new developments.
Niles
We know that Michigan and Berrien County are losing population, census data, independent research, and even state task forces have said so. That is why we at Berrien Forward have created a plan to invest in building affordable housing, missing middle-housing, and economic growth through revitalization. Our plan is simple: working with state and local governments to incentivize development, finding dilapidated properties and turning them into housing bastions; constructing them near existing infrastructure, commerce, and creating walkable cities. Second, gun violence is a public health threat, and we know that the way to reduce homicide rates, domestic partner violence, and suicide rates is to invest in community violence intervention. Leveraging state, local, and even federal funds to invest in violence distributors, emergency room interventions, and long-term programming that will impact the foundational causes of violence – poverty. Finally, Berrien Forward supports creating more opportunities for small businesses and expanding resources to ensure that the pathway to the middle class is accessible to all.
Niles is prime for this type of project and development and Jessica Gomez stands with Berrien Forward’s plan for expanded housing.
Janet Henderson
County Commission Candidate - District 9
Berrien County Commission Candidate
Janet Henderson
Janet Henderson is a Berrien County Commissioner candidate in District 9. Janet is a retired attorney, non-profit president and fierce advocate for the unhoused, disenfranchised, and working people. Janet aligns with Berrien Forward’s mission to attract businesses, increase affordable housing, provide high-quality transportation to connect our communities and address the need for improved public infrastructure as well as expand social services for things such as childcare, mental health and food insecurity.
New Buffalo
Berrien Forward supports expanded transportation initiatives to interconnect Berrien Counties economically disenfranchised communities, connecting residents to key services, and making commerce accessible to everyone. We recommend partnering with the Department of Transportation, local transportation entities, and the chamber of commerce to invest in community lead transportation initiatives. Supporting law enforcement and first responders to ensure we have safe, healthy, and interconnected communities where residents can feel protected by those who serve; while also investing in community policing, bolstering relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Finally, Berrien Forward stands firmly with protecting and effectively deploying local and county financial resources to address critical infrastructure needs, economic development and ensuring that our communities move – Forward.
