Editor’s note: State Affairs spoke with the four Gen Z candidates running for the state Legislature in November as part of our “On the CampaignTrail” series. They discussed their campaigns and what they plan to do if elected. This profile looks at Georgia House District 56 candidate Bryce Berry. To read the main story for this series, go here.

After teaching Atlanta Public Schools middle schoolers all day, Bryce Berry spends his evenings knocking on doors and attending political or community events. On Sundays, he visits various churches, schmoozing with seniors.

The 23-year-old Morehouse College graduate is running for Georgia House District 56 in west Atlanta. He faces incumbent Mesha Mainor, R-Atlanta. 

Berry is one of four Gen Z candidates running for office on the November ballot. The others are software engineer Ashwin Ramaswami, 25; community organizer Gabriel Sanchez, 27; and Madeline Ryan Smith, a 27-year-old Statesboro entrepreneur. All are on the Democratic ticket.

“It’s imperative I’m out there in public because some people don’t know their representative in the first place,” said Berry, who lives in Atlanta and spends a lot of time on the campaign trail explaining the duties of a House representative. “This is about showing up and making sure we’re reaching everybody where they are.”

Berry said he decided to run for office after seeing the conditions many of his students face. 

“I have students who are homeless; students whose parents work three, four jobs; students who have unfortunately been victims of gun violence or have had close family members who’ve been victims of gun violence,” he said. “How can anybody sit idly by and think that’s a normal thing?” 

Recent school shootings also played a part in his decision.

“I’m a gun owner, but like the majority of gun owners, I support common-sense things.”

— Bryce Berry

“As a teacher, I’ve been in lockdown [due to active shooter drills] more times than I can count. So this is a personal issue for me.”

Bryce said he’ll push for common-sense gun laws, such as raising the age for purchasing assault rifles and running comprehensive background checks.

“I’m a gun owner, but like the majority of gun owners, I support common-sense things,” Berry said. “It’s the issue where I hope to be very vocal, very active, not just as a gun owner but as a teacher as well.” 

He said he’s waiting to hear more about the school safety package proposed by House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington. The package is expected to come before the Legislature next year. Burns backs a plan that would provide better access to mental health care, tax incentives to encourage gun safety and tougher penalties for people who make terroristic threats.

“I’m interested to see what that is,” Berry said.

If elected, Berry said he would make the following changes:

• Push for passage of a statewide blighting law so that developers who renege on projects face fines and restrictions. That will accelerate building more affordable and low-income housing and address gentrification, Berry said. 
• Expand home exemptions, which would allow seniors to stay in their homes.
• Repeal the voucher bill. “It’s anti-teacher, anti-student and anti-[public] education.” 
• Provide food stamps or vouchers to every college student who comes to Georgia. “That would ease a significant burden on college students who are already financially strapped.”

Berry’s platform centers on expanding Medicaid, building more affordable houses, taking on bad-faith developers and boosting wages in Georgia, which has one of the lowest minimum wages in the nation. 

It’s about “giving workers a fair shot” so they have a piece of the pie, Berry said.

“We’ve been the best state for business for the past 12-plus years, yet we’ve been the worst state for workers [in the past] 12-plus as well,” he added.

“It’s a very progressive platform because this is a very progressive district.” 

Berry has raised over $92,000 and has just over $23,000 in cash on hand. His opponent Mainor has raised over $40,000 and has a little over $51,500 in cash on hand.

See Berry’s campaign website here.

Have questions? Contact Tammy Joyner on X @lvjoyner or at [email protected].

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