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Janessa Givens
- Jan 18
- 5 min read
Table of Contents
Background
Mission
Relevant Experience
Notable Positions & Focus Areas
Considerations for Voters
Disclaimer: The information below summarizes publicly available information. “Considerations for voters” are intended to highlight relevant strengths, gaps, or strategic factors, not to advocate for or against any candidate.
Janessa Givens Texas House - District 56
“I’m running for State Representative because District 56 deserves representation rooted in compassion, integrity and action.”
Candidate Overview
Background
Native of the district with deep family and community roots
Raised in a family centered on faith, service, hard work, and responsibility to others
Grew up experiencing the impacts of underinvestment in education and opportunity
Practicing attorney and community advocate
Current member of the city’s Plan Commission
Educator and mentor, including teaching Social Studies to women earning their GED
Mission:
To ensure every person in our District is seen, heard and represented.
Relevant Experience
Practicing attorney with experience in advocacy and public policy
Worked to combat student bullying and support at-risk youth
Assisted community members facing housing insecurity and employment challenges
Mentored individuals seeking second chances
Partnered with law enforcement and community leaders on public safety and fair policy
Active service on city and community boards focused on education, access, and economic opportunity
Notable Positions & Focus Areas
Fully funded and equitable public education
Increased pay and support for educators
Workforce development and responsible economic growth
Support for working families and small businesses
Fair representation and inclusive policymaking
Community safety and neighborhood livability
Considerations for Voters
Policy positions are framed broadly and emphasize values over legislative specifics
Limited public detail on healthcare, reproductive rights, immigration, and climate policy
Strong community service background, but no prior elected legislative experience
Limited voting history can be found, as she did not register to vote in Texas until 2022.
Positions
Democratic Values
Stance:
Janessa Givens frames democracy as participatory and community-centered, emphasizing representation, dignity, and inclusion, though she offers limited detail on structural democratic reforms.
Key Positions & Commitments:
Fair representation for all communities
Ensuring every voice is seen and heard
Community-driven leadership
Approach to Increasing Participation:
Grassroots engagement through education, mentoring, and community service
Emphasis on showing up consistently in community spaces
Democratic Norms & Threats Identified:
Underrepresentation of working families and marginalized voices
Policy decisions made without community input
Notable Emphasis:
Representation as a moral responsibility, not a partisan exercise
Healthcare
Stance:
Healthcare is discussed indirectly through community stability and family support; specific healthcare policy positions are not outlined on her website.
Key Positions & Commitments:
Support for families and community well-being
Reproductive Healthcare:
Not addressed in available materials
Populations Centered:
Families facing economic and social instability
Relevant Experience & Expertise:
Advocacy work supporting neighbors facing housing and employment insecurity
Notable Emphasis:
Holistic view of community health tied to stability and opportunity
Equity & Representation
Stance:
Equity and representation are central to her campaign message, rooted in lived experience and a commitment to inclusive leadership.
Key Positions & Commitments:
Fair representation regardless of zip code or background
Equitable distribution of educational resources
Dignity and opportunity for all communities
Approach:
Centering lived experience and community voices
Values-based leadership shaped by service
Relevant Experience & Expertise:
Long-term community involvement
Mentorship and education work with marginalized populations
Notable Emphasis:
Representation as an act of service and accountability
Economy & Cost of Living
Stance:
She emphasizes responsible growth and job creation that benefits working families and small businesses.
Key Positions & Commitments:
Increased job opportunities
Workforce development
Support for entrepreneurs and small businesses
Cost-of-Living Focus Areas:
Employment stability
Access to opportunity
Populations Centered:
Working families
Small business owners
Approach to Economic Policy:
Attracting responsible employers
Investing in workforce readiness and access to capital
Notable Emphasis:
Economic growth paired with community protection
Texas Issues
Stance:
Focuses on local livability, education, and responsible development; statewide issues are not deeply detailed.
Key Positions & Commitments:
Safe neighborhoods
Strong public education
Community-focused growth
Approach to Climate Resilience:
Not addressed in available materials
Relevant Experience & Expertise:
City Plan Commission service
Community board involvement
Notable Emphasis:
Protecting the character and livability of the district
Education
Stance
Education is the most clearly defined policy area in her campaign, shaped by personal and professional experience.
Key Positions & Commitments:
Fully funded public education regardless of zip code
Equitable resource distribution based on student need
Increased pay for educators
Approach:
Respecting and supporting educators
Investing in students as a pathway to opportunity
Relevant Experience & Expertise:
Teaching Social Studies to women earning their GED
Advocacy work with at-risk youth
Notable Emphasis:
Education as the foundation for equity and economic mobility
Accountability, Ethics, & Leadership
Stance:
Leadership is defined as presence, integrity, and responsibility to community.
Key Positions & Commitments:
Leadership rooted in service
Community accountability
Approach:
Leading through action rather than rhetoric
Maintaining close ties to constituents
Relevant Experience & Expertise:
Legal practice
Community mentorship and advocacy
Notable Emphasis:
Moral leadership shaped by family values
Immigration
Not addressed in available materials
Candidate Qualifications
Stance:
Janessa Givens presents herself as a community-first candidate with strong advocacy experience, though limited legislative specificity.
Key Positions & Commitments:
Representing every resident of the district
Bringing lived experience into policymaking
Approach:
Relationship-based leadership
Community engagement and education
Relevant Experience & Expertise:
Attorney and advocate
City Plan Commission member
Educator and mentor
Notable Emphasis:
Service-oriented leadership grounded in dignity and inclusion
Scorecard Summary
Our Score: 8/34
Janessa Givens clearly means well and is deeply rooted in her community, especially around education. But right now, her campaign reads more like a values statement than a governing agenda.
Important Context
This score reflects only the information publicly available on the candidate’s campaign website at the time of review. Several issue areas central to TMK–Indivisible Waco’s endorsement rubric are not addressed in detail on the website: strengthening Democratic values, equity & representation, Texas-specific issues, healthcare, economy and cost of living, immigration stance, and policy alignment issues.
If additional policy information becomes available, this candidate profile and score may be updated accordingly.
Key Positions & Commitments:
Fully funding public education and increasing educator pay
Supporting small businesses and responsible economic growth
Fair representation and inclusive leadership
Strengthening community safety and neighborhood stability
Approach:
Values-driven and community-centered
Emphasizes service, dignity, and presence over legislative specificity
Focuses on showing up in community spaces rather than outlining structural reforms
Relevant Experience & Expertise:
Practicing attorney and community advocate
City Plan Commission member
Educator and mentor, including GED instruction
Long-standing involvement with youth, families, and housing-insecure neighbors
Notable Emphasis:
Strong moral framing around representation and education
Deep commitment to community service and access
Limited public detail on healthcare, reproductive rights, immigration, voting rights, climate resilience, and statewide democratic threats
