Adam Hollier is the director of the
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) is a state government agency which is a part of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs that functions as the central coordinating point for Michigan veterans, connecting those who have served ...
and was appointed by Gov.
Gretchen Whitmer
Gretchen Esther Whitmer (born August 23, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 ...
. Hollier served in the
Michigan Senate, representing the 2nd Senate district, serving Wayne County including Detroit, the Grosse Pointes, Hamtramck, Harper Woods, and Highland Park from 2018 to 2022.
Early life and education
Hollier was born and raised in the
North End of
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
. As the son of retired social worker, Jacquelene Hollier, and retired Detroit Fire Department Captain and Wayne County Health Department Training Officer, Carl Hollier, service to people and the community were ingrained in Hollier from a young age.
Hollier is a graduate of Detroit Public Schools. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in labor relations from
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...
, where he played safety on the football team and was a decathlete.
Hollier enlisted in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
and later served as a
civil affairs officer in the
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 2020 ...
. He earned a
Master of Urban Planning
Urban planning education is a practice of teaching and learning urban theory, studies, and professional practices. The interaction between public officials, professional planners and the public involves a continuous education on planning process. ...
from the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
.
Hollier is of Black and Native American descent.
Career
Hollier served as a volunteer firefighter before enlisting in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
and graduating with distinction from officer candidate school, where he earned the commission of 2nd Lieutenant.
Hollier currently serves as a captain paratrooper and team leader in the 412th Civil Affairs Battalion Airborne. Prior to joining the Senate, Hollier served as director of government affairs for the Michigan Fitness Foundation. He began his career in public service in roles as a staffer in the state legislature and with local officials in the city of Detroit, where his efforts were instrumental in developing policies that protected seniors and facilitated the installation of 64,000 new lights to make neighborhoods safe.
In 2014, Hollier ran in the
Michigan House of Representatives 4th district Democratic primary, but lost to incumbent
Rose Mary Robinson
Rose Mary Robinson (born December 12, 1939) is an American lawyer and a former Democratic member of the Michigan House of Representatives.
Early life and education
Rose Mary Robinson was born on December 12, 1939. In 1972, Robinson earned a Ju ...
.
He was elected to the
Michigan Senate in 2018, and served as the sergeant-at-arms and parliamentarian of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus.
In
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...
, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination to represent
Michigan's 13th congressional district
Michigan's 13th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Wayne County, Michigan. It is currently represented by Democrat Shri Thanedar.
The district includes portions of Detroit and some of its suburbs, and it was t ...
in the House of Representatives.
[
In the state legislature, Hollier's championed a successful resolution to replace the statue of Lewis Cass in the ]National Statuary Hall Collection
The National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol is composed of statues donated by individual states to honor persons notable in their history. Limited to two statues per state, the collection was originally set up in the old ...
with a statue of Coleman Young
Coleman Alexander Young (May 24, 1918 – November 29, 1997) was an American politician who served as mayor of Detroit, Michigan, from 1974 to 1994. Young was the first African-American mayor of Detroit.
Young had emerged from the far-left ele ...
, the first Black mayor of Detroit.
On December 02, 2022, Hollier was appointed director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer starting January 1, 2023.
Personal life
Hollier and his wife, Krystle, live in Detroit with their daughter Lillian and son AJ.
Hollier enjoys spending time with his family, woodworking, and setting fitness goals in running, CrossFit, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha.
Awards
Hollier was named to Michigan Chronicle's 40 under 40 in 2013, Crain's 20 in their 20s in 2015, and the Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence in 2021.
Other positions
*Assistant Professor of Teaching of Urban Studies and Planning at Wayne State University
Wayne State University (WSU) is a public research university in Detroit, Michigan. It is Michigan's third-largest university. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 350 programs to nearly 25,000 ...
References
External links
Official Website
21st-century African-American politicians
21st-century American politicians
21st-century Native American politicians
African-American state legislators in Michigan
Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections
Cornell University alumni
Living people
Democratic Party Michigan state senators
Military personnel from Michigan
United States Army officers
United States Army reservists
University of Michigan alumni
African-American Catholics
Native American Roman Catholics
1985 births
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