Jen Perelman is a second generation Florida native, born and raised in North Miami Beach. After studying journalism at the University of Colorado, Jen received her master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. While working as the media relations manager for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Jen discovered her passion for advocacy and decided to go to law school. Graduating from St. Mary’s Law School (San Antonio, TX) in 2000, Jen began her legal career fighting for people who can’t fight for themselves. Her early practice included criminal defense and pro bono work, including representing pregnant teens seeking a judicial bypass to parental consent in order to obtain abortions.
After moving back to South Florida in 2003, Jen practiced corporate and civil litigation in Miami-Dade and Broward counties until 2009 when she stopped working in order to be home with her boys. As someone who went to law school to be a lobbyist, Jen has never stopped being an advocate for people who need a voice. Although she has been politically active since the age of 17, Jen has been particularly involved in South Florida politics since 2016 when her congresswoman was removed as the Chair of the DNC for cheating Bernie Sanders in favor of Hillary Clinton. Then, in 2018, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez’s victory demonstrated that it was possible for a grassroots candidate to beat an entrenched corporate incumbent. Jen decided to challenge Debbie Wasserman Schultz in 2020. The 2020 campaign was extraordinary for several reasons. Jen was able to get 21,000 votes (nearly 30%) and raise close to $400k during a pandemic. But more importantly it was a service-based campaign wherein volunteers were performing community service in addition to canvassing. The 2020 campaign volunteers planted two community gardens, did beach and park clean-ups, served birthday cake monthly at the veterans nursing home, and did weekly food distributions.
Following the campaign, Jen and her business partner, created the JENerational Change Podcast and YouTube Show. The twice-weekly show boasts three and half years of content covering a wide variety of social, political, and economic topics. Their guests have included authors, journalists, professors, scientists, military experts, and celebrities. The mission of JENerational Change is “transforming politics into service” by continuing to educate people and build strong coalitions for change.
Jen currently lives in Plantation with her husband, one teenage son still in the nest, and two dogs.