Jersey City

Lifelong Jersey City resident Frank “Educational” Gilmore was inaugurated as Ward F Councilman on January 1st, 2022.

Like many of our young people today, he grew up burdened by the socio-economic ills that affect, especially young, Black and Latino males in the inner city. Tragically, Gilmore lost both of his parents before the age of 13, a devastating loss that shaped his early years. As a teenager, Frank was arrested several times, spending time in various juvenile detention institutions, group homes, residential programs, and even at Jamesburg, a state-controlled, all-boys training school. At the age of nineteen, Gilmore was sentenced to one hundred and twenty months in state prison for Possession of CDS..

“My ability to reach the young people out here today is directly related to my past troubles,” Gilmore says. “They listen to me because they know I lived that life. I don’t judge them.

And because I lived that life and overcame it, they know they can do it, too.”

While incarcerated in state prison, Gilmore decided to change his life. Instead of falling further into the trap, he worked to rehabilitate his life. He took advantage of the opportunities inside the institution and enrolled himself in college courses, taking up trades and participating in enrichment programs. By the time he was eligible for release into a halfway house, he enrolled in college courses at Rutgers University via the Mountainview program.

Always one who desired to serve,

Frank appointed himself as the GED coach for his fellow halfway house residents, helping many of them, struggling in academics, to better themselves through higher education, just as he was. Despite a personal setback that forced him to leave Rutgers, Frank — never willing to surrender — enrolled at Hudson County Community College and finished with an associate’s degree in Business Administration in just eighteen months. Upon graduating from HCCC, Frank re-enrolled at Rutgers University and received his bachelor’s degree in Communications and Entrepreneurship.

With his education now complete, Frank turned his sights to doing something positive in his community. In 2011, he formed the F.E.D.D.I.E. Foundation (Fortitude for Every Disadvantage Demographic Investing in Excellence), a nonprofit aimed at improving children’s health, literacy, and education through mentoring. He also founded Educational Gilmore Speaks LLC in 2013, which offers one-on-one mentoring via Y.E.L.P. (Youth Enrichment Learning Program). Frank also believes in implementing recreational programs that benefit adults and adolescents as part of his vision for fostering community well-being.

Frank E. Gilmore has since become highly sought after for speaking engagements nationwide. He uses his life experience as a deterrent for other youth who risk making the same mistakes he made in his early life.

In addition to his nonprofit work, Frank has held various positions within the Jersey City municipal government, gaining valuable experience and insights into local governance.

Today, Frank E. Gilmore continues his community advocacy,

teaching the value of education through the Educational Gilmore Community Learning Center, located in the same building he once sold drugs in front of. He has become instrumental in promoting conflict resolution and peace among many of the young brothers belonging to various youth street organizations often referred to as gangs. His efforts in this regard have garnered attention from local and national news, including two appearances on the famed Ellen DeGeneres Show, where he was featured along with renowned actor and producer Michael B. Jordan, who personally visited Gilmore and the children he mentored at his community center in 2019.

Gilmore is a passionate parent, dedicated coach, and beloved mentor. His work continues to directly impact Ward F residents, reflecting his commitment to addressing their needs.

Gilmore’s commitment and dedication make him a prime candidate for meaningful change in Jersey City.

His unapologetic love for his community and willingness to speak truth to power, regardless of circumstances or consequences, is unlike anything seen in the city’s political landscape since the late, great Mayor and State Senator Glenn D. Cunningham.

Gilmore’s vision for Jersey City is one that is inclusive of all its residents, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or economic status. His continued advocacy focuses on equal justice, police brutality, food insecurity, health and public safety, affordable housing, and access to quality education and recreation.