Today we’d like to introduce you to Shea Smith.
Hi Shea, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
So I’ve been working in politics (seriously) for nearly a decade, more or less since graduating high school and beginning my undergraduate and post-graduate careers. I’ve done everything from volunteering on election campaigns to digital curation for elected officials as well as candidates. I got my first break working in the office of the late Houston City Councilman Larry V Green, which really allowed me a chance to effectively cut my teeth in the world of Houston politics and learn alot about the how our public servants should really be. From there, I have worked as a communications intern for Fort Bend County Judge Teana Watson in some of her earlier campaigns to get to the bench where I was able to understand and curate the importance of millennials and young people in local elections. One of my most favorite job opportunities was being in the office of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a true living legend and powerhouse in the United States Congress. Working in the district office as a congressional liaison was truly an exciting time for me, from fielding calls and claims from constituents to staffing the Congresswoman at various events throughout the city, it was amazing to see the respect that a Black woman was able to garner and maintain, while also learning the intricacies about how to continue to stay relatable and accessible to your voters. And at that time, it was definitely a pinnacle of my career, as I had so much reverence for the Congresswoman growing up, and finally being a part of her office and learning from her on a day to day basis truly provided much of my political foundation today. Going into the year that was 2020, I was asked to be a part of the Bloomberg field team, which on its face (and also in retrospect) probably was a pointed choice policy-wise, but it definitely allowed me the opportunity to effect change for many of the down ballot races in the area. And that’s always been crucial for me, for while most of our community, our people, can readily tell you who’s running for President, Vice President, and maybe Senator or Congress, it’s the local elections, the statewide elections that are often overlooked, but tend to have to most impact on our day to day lives. Which is why I’ve poured myself into working with clients and campaigns and pushing the narrative that electeds should be doing more to engage with our communities on the front end, as opposed to running after us at the last minute whenever they need our vote or our money. That’s why I was more than excited to take this position with GMMB, the largest political firm in the country, where I’m able to create and restructure campaign outlooks to include and attract young people, Black/brown people, disabled, marginalized, and overlooked individuals because once we’re empowered and educated, we are able to make and effect real change.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Working in politics, one does not necessarily expect to have an easy journey. If that was the case, then everyone would be chomping at the bit to run for or help put people in office. So naturally, as I’ve made my way up the proverbial ladder, I’ve had my challenges: campaigns have run out of money, campaigns have ended suddenly and without any reasoning (hint hint Bloomberg), older and aged Houston consultants have tried to cut me out of deals and blacklist me in the city of Houston. But still I rise, right? We all know that politics is very much a crabs-in-the-bucket reality, but I never expected that older, more seasoned, veteran politicos would be the first ones to cut down an upwardly mobile, hardworking, and achieving young Black man. However, it says a lot about one’s character when you see someone working towards success for himself and others and the first thing you do is try to tear them down. Yet, I’m still in the same rooms as them and, in many cases, invited to rooms so early in my political career, whereas they had to keep knocking on the doors that continue to be so graciously be opened for me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m the Senior Digital Political Strategist for GMMB, the largest Democratic political and communications firm in the country, who helmed the election campaigns of Presidents Clinton, Obama, and Biden, as well as Vice President Harris, Governors Sisolak and Whitmer, amongst other candidates and causes. My work with Tracy Scott of Dallas and the Black Women’s PAC – Texas really gave me deference into seeing the success of Black women in the political space, so currently I’m coordinating with the congressional run of Sherry Gay-Dagnogo of Detroit, creating energy and buzz around the only Black woman to represent the Detroit metro area in Washington. I specialize in content creation and digital curation, allowing candidates to maximize their message and their voices on social media, a vehicle that is often overlooked on political campaigns. Engaging with voters in that space is usually an afterthought, and I make it my job to easily combine their talking points into digestible content for the digital arena. I’m currently proud of the 7-figure radio, TV, and digital ad buy I had the pleasure of working on the creative for Everytown’s support of Congresswoman Lucy McBath, the gun safety advocate and mother of Jordan Davis, the unarmed Black boy who was killed in a gas station parking lot over his loud music. I believe my fresh outlook and approach to social media and politics is what has carried me thus far, because I have been seen how simply logging on can have a lasting effect on elections.
Contact Info:
- Email: sheajordansmith@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/shea_jordan
- Twitter: twitter.com/shea_jordan
Image Credits
Frank Xavier (@the_creativex)
The Office of Mayor Turner (@jeffsyptak)
Nneoma Ajiwe (@nneoma.jpg)
