Anita Bonds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anita Bonds
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the Council of the District of Columbia at-large | |
| Assumed office December 11, 2012 |
|
| Preceded by | Phil Mendelson |
| Chair of the District of Columbia Democratic Party | |
| In office November 2006 – September 20, 2018 |
|
| Preceded by | Wanda Lockridge |
| Succeeded by | Charles Wilson |
| Commissioner of the District of Columbia for district 5C01 | |
| In office 2007–2011 |
|
| Preceded by | James D. Berry, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Bradley A. Thomas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1945 (age 79–80) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BS) |
Anita Bonds (born in 1945) is an American politician. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She serves on the Council of the District of Columbia. This means she helps make laws and decisions for the city of Washington, D.C. She represents the entire city, which is called an "at-large" position. Before joining the Council, she was the leader of the District of Columbia Democratic Party for many years.
Contents
Her Early Life and Education
Anita Bonds grew up in Southeast Washington, D.C. She went to college at the University of California, Berkeley. There, she studied chemistry and earned her Bachelor of Science degree.
Starting Her Career in Politics
Anita Bonds began her political career by helping with campaigns. In 1971, she helped Marion Barry run for the D.C. Board of Education. She was chosen as a delegate for the Black Political Convention in 1972.
She also ran for a seat on the D.C. Board of Education in 1973. Later, she worked on campaigns for other politicians. She was a key helper for Marion Barry's campaigns for District mayor in 1978 and 1982. In 1979, Mayor Barry named her a special assistant. Her job was to help citizens with their needs.
Bonds also managed John L. Ray's campaign in 1980. In 1983, she directed the D.C. Office of Community Services. She even worked on Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign in 1984. She managed Barry's third mayoral campaign in 1986.
In 1994, she became a special assistant to Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly's chief of staff. She also managed Councilmember Harold Brazil's mayoral campaign in 1998. From 2004 to 2005, she led the mayor's Office of Community Affairs. Later, she became a senior advisor to Council member Kwame R. Brown.
Before joining the D.C. Council, Anita Bonds worked as an executive. She was with Fort Myer Construction, a large company that builds things in the District.
Becoming a Councilmember
How She Was Elected
In November 2012, Phil Mendelson became the chair of the D.C. Council. This left his "at-large" seat empty. D.C. law says that the political party of the person who left the seat gets to choose someone to fill it. This person serves until a special election can be held.
Anita Bonds decided to seek this open Council seat. The D.C. Democratic State Committee voted on who should fill the spot. Anita Bonds won the vote with 55 out of 71 votes. She was sworn in as a councilmember on December 11, 2012.
She then won the special election in 2013 to keep her seat. She was also reelected in 2018.
What She Does as a Councilmember
.jpg)
As a councilmember, Anita Bonds works on important issues for D.C. She introduced a law to help senior citizens with their property taxes. This bill would help homeowners with lower or moderate incomes. They must have lived in the District for 15 years in a row.
In 2017, she attended the parade for the inauguration of President Donald Trump. She won reelection in 2018 against several younger challengers.
Her Family Life
Anita Bonds is a widow. She has one adult daughter and two adult sons. She also has seven grandchildren.
Committees She Serves On
Anita Bonds works on several important committees within the D.C. Council:
- Committee on Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization (she is the chair of this committee)
- Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
- Committee on Finance and Revenue
- Committee on Education
- Committee on Recreation and Youth Affairs
She was also a member of the Committee on Business and Economic Development in the past.
