My roots run deep in Georgia soil.
Dear Friends,
I was born and raised on a sharecropper’s farm in Blue Springs, just outside Hawkinsville, Georgia. My roots run deep in Georgia soil.
Growing up during Jim Crow, I saw the harsh reality of racism written into law and daily life. I remember when Black patrons sat in separate sections at the theater, when waiting rooms and churches were divided, and when my school remained segregated until my 7th-grade year. These early lessons shaped my commitment to justice and change.
I graduated from Fort Valley State University, where my wife Kimberly and I, along with our four daughters, all studied. We hope one of our seven grandchildren will continue that tradition. I earned my dental degree from Meharry Medical College in 1984, beginning more than 40 years of service.
In 1990, I became the first African American dentist to open a practice in Conyers, Georgia. I have served patients from all backgrounds with dignity and care. As Scripture says, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48).
Today, I feel called to serve in a new way—by stepping into the arena to defend our democracy and push back against the forces that seek to undermine it. I am running to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid—programs that millions of Americans depend on. I am running to defend voting rights and to stand up for truth, equity, and inclusion.
We are a nation of immigrants. Our diversity is not a threat, is our strength. We must reform our broken immigration system with humanity and vision, not hatred and fear.
I bring to this calling the same work ethic I learned as a boy on the farm—rising early to slop the hogs, then working the fields from sunrise to sunset. My parents taught me that with faith and hard work, anything is possible. My father often said, “If you see a good fight, get in it.” That is exactly what I intend to do.
I believe America still has the potential to become its best self—but only if we each do our part.
Great leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Fannie Lou Hamer, and W.E.B. Du Bois paved the way. I step forward now in that same spirit of courage and resolve. I carry the words of Christ in my heart: If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23 NIV). I believe we can move mountains. But I cannot do it alone.
You, too, have faced adversity. You have overcome challenges. Now is the time for all of us to come together—in hope, unity, and determination—to defend our democracy and achieve the unbelievable.
With deep gratitude and unwavering faith,
Joe N. Lester, DDS
