• $10

• $25

• $100

• $250

• OTHER AMOUNT

Jason Melendez is the great-grandson of Virginians who endured Jim Crow and segregation in Charles City County—a family legacy that taught him progress is never promised, it's fought for, generation after generation. That lesson has driven every chapter of his life.As a Chesterfield County Public Schools graduate, Jason first answered the call to service in high school, joining the Youth Citizen Board and launching a nationwide award-winning mental health campaigns for his peers. While other teenagers were focused on themselves, Jason was already fighting for his community, whether it was speaking out at school board meetings or organizing young people. He carried that same spirit into his work in staffing and recruitment where he helped to break down employment barriers and connect hundreds of working-class Virginians to good-paying jobs that could change their lives.When Democrats needed organizers to send a message to Glenn Youngkin by winning their 2023 majority, Jason was there—knocking doors, building coalitions, and proving that young voices could move mountains. His work didn't stop at election victories. As one of the youngest full-time legislative aides in the General Assembly, Jason has worked on nearly 30 bills tackling healthcare, justice reform, and child welfare. His dedication and strategic thinking helped earn his boss, Delegate Katrina Callsen, the title of "Freshman Legislator of the Year."From organizing with Virginia Young Democrats to defending LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant communities, and other vulnerable groups, Jason has led in every space he's entered. His experience spans advocacy, policy, and public service—but more than that, he understands that real change happens when we fight for it together.Now, as Jason looks toward the future, he carries forward the same truth his great-grandparents knew: that in America, we don't just inherit progress—we earn it, we defend it, and we pass it on stronger than we found it. And right now, that is more important than ever.