Dario Hunter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dario Hunter
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| Member of the Youngstown Board of Education | |
| In office 2016–2020 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | April 21, 1983 Livingston, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Progressive (2020–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic (before 2017) Independent (2017–2018) Green (2018–2020) |
| Education | Princeton University (BA) University of Windsor (LLB) University of Detroit (JD) Wayne State University (LLM) Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute (Semikhah) |
Dario David Hunter (born April 21, 1983), also known as Yisroel Hunter, is an American rabbi, lawyer, and politician. He is known for being the first man born into a Muslim family to become a rabbi. He was also a member of the Youngstown, Ohio Board of Education. In 2020, he ran for president as a candidate for the Green Party and later for the Oregon Progressive Party.
Contents
Dario Hunter's Early Life and Career
Dario Hunter was raised in New Jersey by his Iranian Muslim father and African American mother. He is openly gay. Besides his work as an environmental lawyer, he has served as a rabbi in different places. This included a synagogue in Youngstown, Ohio, and a college campus in Wooster.
Becoming a Rabbi
Dario Hunter converted to Judaism. He first joined the Reform movement, then later followed an Orthodox process. He was ordained as a rabbi in 2012. This means he completed his studies and became an official Jewish spiritual leader. He has described himself as very open-minded in his role as a rabbi.
Hunter was a member of a group called Jewish Voice for Peace. This group supports actions against Israel. He lost his job as a part-time rabbi at a synagogue after he announced his run for president. This happened when his critical comments about Israel were published. He said he felt "blacklisted" from his rabbinic profession. However, he continued to support human rights causes.
Dario Hunter's Political Journey
Dario Hunter has been involved in politics for several years. He has run for different offices and spoken out on important issues.
Serving in Youngstown Politics
Hunter first ran for Youngstown City Council in 2015 as a Democrat. He did not win that election. However, in the general election later that year, he won a seat on the Youngstown Board of Education. He was a write-in candidate, meaning people had to write his name on the ballot.
In May 2018, he joined the Green Party. This made him the only Green Party member elected to office in Ohio at that time. He was known for speaking out on school board issues. These included low test scores, ethical problems, and favoritism. He also spoke against teaching creationism in schools. Hunter ran for re-election in 2019 but was not re-elected.
Running for President in 2020
On January 21, 2019, Hunter started an exploratory committee. This was to prepare for a possible run in the 2020 Green Party presidential primaries. He believed America's problems needed a serious national discussion.
Announcing His Presidential Bid
On February 18, 2019, Hunter officially announced he was running for the Green Party nomination. He made this announcement at an event in Pittsburgh. News outlets noted his diverse background. Hunter stated that to get attention for the Green Party, they needed a strong voice. He said it takes a tough person to be an openly gay, Black, son-of-an-immigrant, Jewish rabbi.
His platform included ideas like healthcare for everyone. He also wanted the United States to switch completely to renewable energy.
Losing Rabbinic Position Over Israel Comments
The synagogue where Hunter worked as a rabbi fired him. This happened after his comments about Israel were published. Hunter had said he did not think the U.S. should give aid to Israel or any country that abuses human rights. He called Israel's treatment of Palestinians "horribly atrocious." The synagogue first said his campaign would take too much time. Later, they said his statements about Israel were the reason for his dismissal.
Hunter made fighting laws against boycotting Israel part of his campaign. He said they would fight attempts to limit freedom of speech.
Campaigning Across the Country
Hunter traveled to different states during his campaign. In June 2019, he spoke in Illinois. He criticized the use of children as "political pawns" in immigration issues. He called for better healthcare access and more rights for people of color. He also promised to end the privatization of school districts.
In August 2019, in Missouri, Hunter talked about an expanded Green New Deal. He called it the Green Path Forward. This plan included improving relationships with other countries like China and Iran. It also aimed to end wars and stop pollution from being sent to other countries. He wanted to deal with environmental problems beyond carbon emissions, like plastic pollution.
At a debate, Hunter discussed racism in healthcare. He said there needed to be more investment in healthcare for minority communities. He also called for clear standards to address unequal care. In January 2020, he spoke about cutting the war budget. He wanted to invest in peace instead. He suggested creating a "Department of Peace" to build peace globally. Hunter believed this would help the U.S. work with other nations to save the planet.
Visiting Israel
Hunter visited Haifa, Israel, in April 2019. He met with a campaign manager for a political group there. His visit gained media attention in Israel. People noted his support for Palestinian rights. They also noticed he referred to the area as 'Israel-Palestine.' This term is also used in the Green Party's official platform.
Running in the General Election
After another candidate, Howie Hawkins, won the Green Party nomination, Hunter continued his presidential campaign as an independent. He said there were problems with the Green Party primary process. In August 2020, he announced he would be on the ballot in Colorado. He ran under the Progressive Party label. He chose Dawn Neptune Adams, an activist, as his running mate. On August 25, 2020, he also won the nomination of the Oregon Progressive Party.
Dario Hunter's Activism and Legal Work
Hunter has used legal actions to promote transparency and accountability.
Taking Legal Action
In 2017, Hunter sued the Youngstown City School District. He did this because they did not provide public records he requested. These records were about a company hired to find principals for the district. The district settled with Hunter. They provided the records and paid his court costs. Hunter planned to donate the money to the Boys and Girls Club.
In 2018, Hunter sued the Ohio Department of Education. They had not provided records about an investigation into the Youngstown school CEO. The Department of Education settled with Hunter. They gave him the records and paid some of his costs.
Images for kids
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Dario Hunter as a Member of the Youngstown Board of Education.
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See also
In Spanish: Dario Hunter para niños
