Joshua Heard for District 12A

My father was a pastor, and my mother was a teacher, so I grew up knowing that faith, service, and education were not just values, but responsibilities. As one of six children raised in Atlanta, Georgia, I learned early on the importance of community, compassion, and looking out for one another.

Those lessons shaped everything I’ve done since. I carried them with me to Howard University, where I earned my degree in Political Science and deepened my commitment to public service and leadership. Afterward, I went on to earn my law degree from Hofstra University and passed the New York Bar in 2020.

My legal career has taken me across both the public and private sectors, from serving as a Public Defender, standing beside people who had no one else to fight for them, to working in county government to promote fairness, accountability, and equal opportunity. Through it all, I’ve seen how policy decisions affect real people, How policy affects families working hard to make ends meet, students trying to get ahead, and neighbors who just want to be heard.

Through my fiancée, I discovered the incredible community of Howard County and the city of Columbia. She is a teacher in our district, serving students at the same high school from which she graduated. In 2021, wanting to be closer to family and build a future together, we made Howard County our home. We chose this community because it is a place where people can thrive, grow, and make a meaningful difference.

Today, both of us are proud to serve the residents of Howard County through our work, she in the classroom and I in county government. Those experiences have given us a firsthand understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our community. That is why I am running for the Maryland House of Delegates: to expand opportunity, strengthen our schools, make our communities more affordable, and ensure that government listens to and delivers for the people it serves. I believe progress begins with people, when we lead with empathy, act with integrity, and never forget who we are fighting for.