Damon Dunn facts for kids

Damon Jerrel Dunn (born March 15, 1976) is an American who has done many things! He was a football player, then became a real estate developer, a minister, and even ran for political office.

Early Life and School

Damon Dunn was born in 1976 in Fort Worth, Texas. His mother, Ramona Dunn, was 16 years old. When Damon was three, his father, Mike Lockett, passed away in a car accident. Mike was a football player for the Texas Longhorns.

Damon grew up living in a trailer on his grandparents' farm. He was a great student at Sam Houston High School in Arlington, Texas. He was also an amazing football player, earning "All-State" honors in Texas.

College Years

After high school, Damon received a football scholarship to Stanford University. He was recruited by famous coach Bill Walsh. Damon also ran track while at Stanford.

At Stanford, Damon was coached by Tyrone Willingham. Damon has said he looked up to Coach Willingham like a father. He grew up without a male role model, so this was very important to him.

Damon set many records during his time at Stanford. He earned an NCAA Academic Scholarship for his studies. He also received "All-Pac-10 Honors" for his football skills. Plus, he got "Academic All-Pac-10 Honors" for his good grades. He also received the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Award.

While studying at Stanford, Damon also helped out at the Jerusalem Baptist Church. He worked as an associate pastor, helping to manage youth programs.

Football Career

Damon graduated from Stanford in 1998 with a degree in public policy. This means he studied how government and laws work. He was not chosen in the 1998 NFL draft, which is when professional teams pick new players.

After college, Damon joined the practice squad for the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is a group of players who train with the team but might not play in games. He then played for the Cleveland Browns in 1999.

In 2000, Damon played for a few different teams. He played for the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe, which was a league in Europe. He also played for the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns again.

In 2001, Damon played for the Los Angeles Xtreme in the XFL league. However, the XFL stopped playing after that season. Damon then joined the Dallas Cowboys for their training camp. He left the NFL after getting injured.

Other Work

After his football career, Damon started a new path. He teamed up with a friend from Stanford to start a real estate business. This business was in Irvine, California. They worked on developing several shopping centers.

Politics

Damon Dunn also decided to get involved in politics.

Running for California Secretary of State

In 2009, Damon announced he would run for California Secretary of State. This job involves overseeing elections and keeping important state records. He ran against the person who already held the job, Debra Bowen.

Damon said that many African Americans agree with conservative ideas about money. He felt the Republican Party needed a more welcoming face for them.

During the election, there were some questions about Damon's eligibility. He had been registered as a Democrat in 1999, but that registration had expired. However, the courts ruled that he was eligible to run.

The San Francisco Chronicle newspaper supported Damon for the primary election in June 2010. Ronnie Lott, a famous NFL player, also supported him. Damon won the primary election by a large number of votes.

However, he lost the main election to Debra Bowen in November 2010.

Running for Mayor of Long Beach

In 2014, Damon Dunn decided to run for Mayor of Long Beach. He made it to the final round of the election. He faced Robert Garcia on June 3, 2014.

Damon lost the election to Robert Garcia, who was the former vice-mayor of Long Beach.

Personal Life and Community Work

While playing in the NFL, Damon Dunn spent time helping others. He worked with the Make-a-Wish Foundation. This group helps make wishes come true for children with serious illnesses.

Damon also started the Fighting Giants Ministry. This ministry helps children who have life-changing injuries. He has also volunteered at the St. Augustine Soup Kitchen. He worked with the Cops-N-Kids program and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Damon was the president of his local Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. He has spoken at many FCA events across the country. He is also a licensed Baptist minister. He is a member of the Antioch Church of Long Beach. Today, he lives in Long Beach, California.