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Kimberly Ellis

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Kimberly Ellis
Ellis speaking at the 2020 Women's March in San Francisco
Personal details
BornChattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationJacksonville University (BA)
John F. Kennedy University (JD)
WebsiteCampaign website

Kimberly Ellis is an American activist and was the Executive Director of Emerge California from 2010 until she ran for the Chair of the California Democratic Party in 2017.[1] Ellis is considered a progressive Democrat[2] and formerly served on the California Democratic Party Finance Committee and also on the California Democratic Party's African American Caucus as Recording Secretary.[3] Ellis ran for the Chair of the California Democratic Party in 2017, losing to party insider Eric Bauman.[4]

Early life and education

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Ellis was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended nine schools during her childhood as her father moved regularly in his career as a military officer. She attended schools in six different US states and two countries before she graduated from Antilles High School at Fort Buchanan near San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Ellis attended Jacksonville University and earned a bachelor's degree in English. She then graduated from law school at John F. Kennedy University.

Activism and political career

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Ellis has worked in the private and non-profit sectors, and has experience in state government.[5]

In 2009, the mayor of Richmond, California appointed Ellis to serve as a member of the Community Development Commission.[5]

Ellis concurrently worked at Emerge America’s national headquarters as the National Affiliate Director, and in 2010 she became the Executive Director of the California chapter, Emerge California.[5]

Ellis is a Truman National Security Project political partner.[5]

Ellis has spoken in favor of progressive causes[2] and has stated that Democrats need to do more to address poverty as well as push harder to adopt single-payer healthcare.[4] Ellis actively supported Hillary Clinton during the presidential campaign.

Ellis formerly served on the California Democratic Party Finance Committee, and as the Recording Secretary of the party's African American Caucus.[3]

Ellis was a contender for the Chair of the California Democratic Party in 2017.[4] She was endorsed by seven members of US Congress, several unions and organizations including the National Nurses United union, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom,[6] dozens of local elected and emeritus officials, and dozens of California Democratic Party leaders.[7][8][9] She was supported by progressive groups like California Nurses Association, which supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Presidential primary, and Our Revolution, which grew out of the Sanders campaign.

Ellis was narrowly defeated by party insider Eric Bauman, who has been described as a "consummate party insider." According to the Los Angeles Times, Ellis and Bauman were aligned on most issues, including support for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, abortion rights, single-payer healthcare, and stronger LGBTQ protections, and the contest was described as being between "old school" Democrats vs "new school" Democrats in the progressive spirit of Bernie Sanders. Although Ellis supported Clinton in the Democratic primaries and in the 2016 general election, she has been welcomed by Bernie supporters as "leading an insurgency against the party establishment."[4]

Honors

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Ellis was the Women’s History Month Honoree by the San Francisco Commission and Department on the Status of Women in 2011 and 2015.

Ellis received honors on International Women’s Day in 2012 by the Global Arts and Education.

Kimberly was named one of CalNewsroom.com’s 100 Most Overlooked People in California Politics in 2014 for her work electing Democratic women in California. CalNewsroom.com’s John Hirabe lauded Ellis as “where the rubber meets the road in electing Democratic women” in California.

In 2012, Kimberly was awarded the Annie M. Powell Community Leadership Award by the Global Arts and Education and Women’s Intercultural Network in celebration of International Women’s Day for her work with Emerge California.[5]

Personal life

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Kimberly has lived in California for over two decades.[5] She lives in Richmond, California, and has two children.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Kimberly Ellis". Emerge California. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "'Berniecrats' roil state Democratic Party leadership fight - Capitol Weekly". Capitol Weekly. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Kimberly Ellis | Candidate for Chair of the Democratic Party in California (CA) | Crowdpac". www.crowdpac.com. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e Willon, Phil; Mehta, Seema (May 16, 2017). "'Old school versus new school:' The battle over who will run the California Democratic Party". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Meet Kimberly | Kimberly Ellis for California Democratic Party Chair". Kimberly Ellis for California Democratic Party Chair. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  6. ^ "California politics updates: California's congressional delegation sounds off on Mueller pick, candidates for governor to drum up support at convention". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  7. ^ Weaver, Dustin (January 19, 2017). "Sanders backers take over California Democratic Party". TheHill. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  8. ^ "California Endorsements | National Nurses United". www.nationalnursesunited.org. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  9. ^ "Endorsements | Kimberly Ellis for California Democratic Party Chair". Kimberly Ellis for California Democratic Party Chair. Archived from the original on September 8, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
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