• Shannon Hardin
Meet Shannon
Hardworking. Motivated. Committed.
A proud native of Columbus’ South Side and now representing the East Side, City Council President Shannon Hardin is committed to a city where everyone can thrive. As Columbus continues to grow, President Hardin fights for an inclusive economy where growth benefits the families and residents who’ve always lived here.
Across issues like housing, transit, jobs, education, and safety, he is guided by one principle: “If it’s not for all, then it’s not for us.”
Childhood, Education & Personal Life
Shannon G. Hardin was born at St. Ann’s Hospital. He was raised in the Southfield neighborhood. Shannon is a proud product of Columbus City Schools: Columbus Africentric K-8 and Columbus Alternative High School. He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
Shannon lives on the Far East Side with his son Noah. Shannon is also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and attends the Mount Olivet Baptist Church.
Roots in Public Service
Shannon grew up around public service: his mom, a Democrat, was an administrative assistant in City Hall, while his dad and grandmother were Republicans who worked in city and state government.
As a young man, Shannon found his love for public service while interning in “The Mayor’s Action Center,” the precursor to 311, which addressed resident questions and issues. After seeing the long lines in the 2004 election, Shannon and his high school classmates helped start Youth at the Booth to increase the number of poll workers and engage young folks in the democratic process.
Building an Inclusive Columbus
After college, Shannon came home to Columbus to work for Mayor Michael Coleman’s office of community engagement. Shannon’s efforts increased the City’s score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index to a perfect 100 out of 100.
In addition to creating a more inclusive city for LGBTQ residents, he developed programs around community-based violence intervention, African-American male wellness, and anti-recidivism.
After being appointed to Council to fill a vacancy in 2014, Shannon won election in 2015, and re-election in 2017, 2021 and 2023. Shannon’s colleagues elected him Council President in 2018, where at 30 years old he became the youngest and first LGBTQ person to hold the role.
- Perfect 100/100 score on the HRC Municipal Equality Index
- Built community-based violence intervention programs
- Launched African-American male wellness initiatives
Nine years of getting things done at City Hall
Accomplishments
- Led major reforms to public safety, policing, and crisis response — addressing the root causes of crime and rebuilding public trust after the murder of George Floyd
- Delivered new protections for workers
- Doubled funding for the arts
- Doubled funding for homeless shelters
- Delivered the plan to finally bring real mass transit to Columbus, approved by voters in 2024
- Fought to fund and approve thousands of new homes and passed the strongest renter and tenant protections in the City's history
- Created the Columbus Promise — thousands of Columbus City Schools students have now gone to college for free, helping the region catch up in educational attainment and workforce development