FLIPPABLE: Zach Stepp for OH-HD55
Having grown up in Sheffield Village, Northeast Ohio has always been and will always be home. I grew up in a family that often struggled to get ahead, but I learned early on in my life that my family’s personal and financial struggles did not define me. I discovered dignity in my work ethic. It’s why, when my childhood home was sold off in a public auction, I figured out how to build websites for small businesses so I’d have extra cash to be a normal kid. It’s why when I turned 16, I started working nights and weekends at the local Five Guys and bought a car of my own. It’s why I wanted to be the absolute best at my job and was promoted three times while still in high school.
New doors opened when I was awarded a full scholarship to the University of Chicago through a scholarship program called Questbridge. I went from flipping burgers and scrubbing floors to boarding my first airplane, on course to the Windy City. Since then, I have done things that I never could have imagined: I biked across Europe, visited the White House, trekked along the Great Wall of China, explored Cuba, lived in a foreign country, and engaged with some of the brightest minds in the world.
It was an easy choice in 2017 to move back home to try to elect a retired kindergarten teacher with a heart of gold, Janet Garrett, to be my Representative in Congress. We always knew it was an uphill battle, but we decided early on that it was worth the fight. While we didn’t win, it was an incredible experience building a movement with a candidate I believed would put people before politics. Since the last election, I’ve been working in federal government consulting in supply chain management.
I decided to run for office because I believe I have the leadership skills and fresh perspective necessary to make a lasting impact on our politics. In a time of such division, I want to be a candidate that can bring people together and work at the issues that affect everyday Ohioans.
Outside of politics, I’m an avid Cleveland sports fan, and am looking forward to an exciting year of football - Go Browns!
https://www.zachsteppforohio.com/
