Geneviéve Jones-Wright facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geneviéve Jones-Wright
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| Born |
Geneviéve LaChelle Jones-Wright
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| Occupation | Attorney, Public Defender |
| Political party | Democratic |
Geneviéve Jones-Wright is an American lawyer and activist. She worked as a public defender in San Diego from 2006 to 2019. A public defender is a lawyer who helps people who cannot afford their own legal help.
She is a member of the Democratic Party. She ran for San Diego County District Attorney in 2018 but did not win. She also ran for mayor of San Diego in 2024. In 2016, she became well-known after a San Diego police officer falsely handcuffed her.
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About Geneviéve Jones-Wright
Geneviéve LaChelle Jones-Wright grew up in southeastern San Diego. Her single mother worked at Lincoln High School. Geneviéve went to Patrick Henry High School.
She then went to college at the University of San Francisco. She earned her law degree from Howard University School of Law. Later, she got a Master of Laws degree from California Western School of Law.
Her Legal Career and Activism
Jones-Wright started her legal career in San Diego in 2006. She worked as a public defender. She also served on San Diego’s Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention. This group works to prevent gang activity. She also volunteered for the California Innocence Project. This project helps people who were wrongly convicted of crimes.
In March 2021, she was honored. She was added to the San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame. This was to recognize her important work and activism.
A Notable Incident in 2016
In January 2016, something important happened to Jones-Wright. Police stopped her car and handcuffed her at gunpoint. This happened in front of the Malcolm X Library in Valencia Park. The police thought there was a problem with her license plates. This was due to a mistake by the DMV.
Jones-Wright recorded the event and shared it online. This incident made people question police actions in San Diego County.
Her Political Campaigns
In 2018, Jones-Wright ran for San Diego County District Attorney. The District Attorney is the chief prosecutor for a county. She ran against Summer Stephan. Many important people supported Jones-Wright.
These supporters included then-Senator Kamala Harris. Also, then-Lieutenant Governor of California Gavin Newsom supported her. Businessman George Soros and Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher also endorsed her. The San Diego County Democratic Party supported her too. NFL player and activist Malcolm Jenkins also gave his support.
However, Jones-Wright lost the election on June 5, 2018. Summer Stephan won with 62.62% of the votes. Jones-Wright received 37.02%.
Running for Mayor of San Diego in 2024
In December 2023, Jones-Wright announced she would run for Mayor of San Diego. She ran against the current mayor, Todd Gloria. During her campaign, she talked about housing and homelessness. She wanted stricter rules for short-term home rentals.
Even though she has progressive ideas, she faced challenges. Some key political figures who supported her before did not support her this time. Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Gavin Newsom supported Todd Gloria instead. Many progressive groups also chose to support Gloria. These included the LGBTQ Victory Fund and Equality California. The San Diego County Democratic Party also endorsed Gloria.
In the primary election on March 5, 2024, she did not win. She received 16% of the votes. Mayor Todd Gloria received 50% and Larry Turner received 23%. She did not move on to the final election.
