Janssen Evelyn For HoCo District 4

08/24/2026

Back to school in Howard County! 📚✏️ 🍎🏈🏐🎺🎻

Wishing our students, educators, and families a safe, successful, and great school year!

08/20/2026

A new school year starts with more than new classes. It starts with community.

I enjoyed spending time with the students, families, and staff at Harper’s Choice Middle School yesterday as they kicked off the new school year. There’s something special about seeing a school community come together, reconnect, and get ready for what’s ahead.

📚🍎

08/17/2026

After more than a decade working in Maryland’s public sector, across Prince George’s, Howard, and now Anne Arundel Counties, I’ve attended my share of MACo Summer Conferences.

But this year felt different.

I came to Ocean City with both the perspective of a county administrator and the perspective of someone preparing to serve in elected office. That gave me a different lens on the conversations about what counties are facing and the work ahead for both Howard County and Anne Arundel County.

This year’s theme, “Build What’s Next,” felt especially relevant. We cannot build stronger communities in silos. Counties sit at the center of so much of what shapes daily life: schools and public facilities, housing, water and infrastructure, transportation, energy, economic development, and increasingly, the challenges presented by data centers and a changing electric grid.

Good local government requires us to see the bigger picture and understand how decisions about land use, infrastructure, housing, transportation, sustainability, and economic development connect to one another and affect people’s everyday lives.

And MACO is always a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and former colleagues from across Maryland.

I left Ocean City with a lot of ideas, conversations to continue, and an even greater appreciation for the work ahead.

07/24/2026

It's been a month since the election, here's what I've been up to.

🏈🏀🌱🪏🧘🏾🤓

07/21/2026

This December, Howard County will swear in the first minority majority County Council in its history. I was grateful to sit down with Blair Sabol of WMAR to reflect on this significant milestone.

"Evelyn was originally born in Barbados before moving to Maryland. He ran previously for District 4, but lost by less than 300 votes.

This time, he’s made a successful comeback in what was the most crowded primary race for council this year.

"As an immigrant growing up working class knowing struggle, it's very humbling to know I get to sit at the table and help create a different, better future for people who may be growing up the way I grew up," Evelyn said."

https://www.wmar2news.com/news/region/howard-county/diversity-wins-howard-county-on-track-for-first-ever-minority-majority-county-council

Representation matters. It broadens perspectives, strengthens decision making, and helps ensure that more people see themselves reflected in their government. But the true measure of this moment will be what we accomplish together.

I am humbled to be part of this historic body and grateful to everyone who placed their trust in me. I remain committed to listening, leading with integrity, and working every day to build a Howard County where every resident has the opportunity to thrive.

Now it is time to get to work. And to do it with longtime friends Team Jessica Nichols and Chin for County Council is even better!

"I think that we're finally with this council saying this is the acceptance of all of the diverse parts of Howard County that we've always needed," Nichols said. "We are ready to rock this."

07/14/2026

Some of the best ideas don't come from conference rooms. They come from walking a main street, talking with local leaders, and seeing what's possible.

Last week with LeadershipMD™ l The Powerhouse Leader™, I had the opportunity to explore western Maryland and learn how these communities have embraced their history while creating vibrant places for people to gather, shop, dine, and connect.

From the remarkable transformation of Baltimore Street in Cumberland to the thoughtful design of Carroll Creek and downtown Frederick, I was reminded that strong communities are built with intention. They invest in public spaces, support local businesses, preserve what makes them unique, and create places people are proud to call home.

As I prepare to serve on the Howard County Council, I carry these lessons with me. Howard County doesn't need to become somewhere else. But we should always be willing to learn from communities that are getting things right and ask how those ideas can strengthen our own villages and neighborhoods.

Redevelopment that respects community character.
Placemaking that brings people together.
Adaptive reuse that honors our past while preparing for our future.

That's the kind of work that leaves a community stronger for the next generation.

Thank you, LeadershipMD™ l The Powerhouse Leader™, Richard Griffin, and everyone who shared their time and vision with us.

07/08/2026

The people have spoken. 🗳️!

It's official and certified! I am deeply honored to be the Democratic nominee for Howard County Council, District 4.

Together, we built something special. We knocked on thousands of doors, had countless conversations, and earned the trust of neighbors across every part of our district.

With 4,535 votes and 47.43% of the vote in a four person race, our campaign prevailed in every category of voting: Early Voting, Election Day, Mail In Ballots, and Provisional Ballots. This wasn't just a victory. It was a clear mandate to lead. 📈

Thank you to every volunteer who knocked doors and braved the rain on election day, every supporter who made a contribution, every family who welcomed us onto their porch, and every voter who placed their faith in me. 🙏🏾

The campaign may have won, but the real work begins now.

My commitment remains the same: to build a Howard County where every family has the opportunity to thrive, every neighborhood is heard, and every decision is grounded in service, integrity, and results.

Let's get to work. 🏛️💪🏾🤓✊🏾