| Jeremy Askew Gray was born on October 8, 1985, in Opelika, Alabama. He grew up in Opelika, where he attended local schools and developed his athletic talents from an early age. Gray became a standout athlete at Opelika High School, where he excelled in multiple sports including football, basketball, and track before graduating in 2004. Following high school, he attended North Carolina State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management. During his undergraduate years from 2004 to 2008, Gray was a defensive back for the NC State Wolfpack football team, becoming a two-year starter who recorded 132 total tackles, seven interceptions, and one quarterback sack over 39 career games.
After college, Gray pursued a professional football career, playing for the Tulsa Talons and Kansas City Command of the Arena Football League in 2011. He later joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League as a cornerback in 2015. Following his athletic career, Gray returned to his hometown of Opelika, Alabama, where he established himself as a fitness instructor, personal trainer, and yoga instructor. In January 2014, he founded Elevate Your Grind, Inc., a motivational and clothing brand that also offers personal training services.
Gray's community involvement deepened in February 2017 when he founded The Curtis House, a nonprofit organization serving as a resource hub in one of Opelika's most vulnerable neighborhoods. The organization focuses on providing a safe haven for community members and offers programs centered on education, nutrition, and physical fitness. His commitment to community service led him to pursue political office, and in 2018, he successfully ran for the Alabama House of Representatives District 83 seat.
Gray was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives on November 7, 2018, after winning both a competitive Democratic primary runoff and the general election against Republican Michael Holden. He has since been reelected, with his current term set to end on November 4, 2026. As a state representative, Gray serves on several committees, including the Education Policy Committee, Health Committee, Lee County Legislation Committee, and Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. He previously served on the Commerce and Small Business Committee from 2019 to 2022.
In the legislature, Gray has been recognized for his bipartisan approach and was selected as Co-Chair of the Alabama chapter of Future Caucus alongside Republican Representative Parker Moore. He also served as Minority Whip in the Alabama House Democratic Caucus from January 2019. One of his notable legislative achievements was successfully sponsoring a bill that ended Alabama's nearly 30-year ban on yoga in public schools in 2021, though the legislation included limitations to address concerns from conservative lawmakers.
While serving in the legislature, Gray continued his education, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Auburn University in 2022. In July 2023, he completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education. In November 2023, Gray announced his candidacy for Alabama's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He ran in the Democratic primary held on March 5, 2024, but was unsuccessful, receiving 2.7% of the vote (1,580 votes).
Beyond his political career, Gray is also a children's book author, publishing "Yoga and Me (Mind, Body, and Spirit)" a children's guide with affirmations designed to help young people develop mindfulness skills. He received the Millennial Action Project 2022 Rising Star Award for his legislative work. Gray continues to reside in Opelika, Alabama, where he balances his roles as a state representative, business owner, nonprofit leader, and community advocate. |