John Olumba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Olumba
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives | |
| In office January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2014 |
|
| Preceded by | Bert Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Wendell Byrd |
| Constituency | 5th district (2011–2012) 3rd district (2013–2014) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 12, 1981 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Charsha |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan (BA) Northern Illinois University College of Law (JD) UCL Faculty of Laws |
| Profession | Politician |
| Website | olumbaforjustice.org |
John Olumba (born July 12, 1981) is an American lawyer and politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He served two terms as a representative in the Michigan House of Representatives. He represented the 3rd house district, which is in Wayne County and covers parts of Detroit. While in the House, Olumba worked on important committees. These included the House Judiciary, Commerce, and Criminal Justice committees. He also served on the House Appropriations Committee, where he led the Fiscal Oversight section.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Olumba was born in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up mostly on the east side of the city with his mother and four sisters. He attended Miller Middle School, a school known for other famous Detroit politicians.
He went to (Lewis) Cass Technical High School in Detroit. After high school, he studied at the University of Michigan. There, he focused on two main subjects: economics and political science.
Olumba then earned his Juris Doctor degree, which is a law degree, from Northern Illinois University College of Law. He also studied at the University College London Faculty of Laws to add to his legal education.
After finishing law school in 2007, Olumba worked at a homeless mission called Shelters of Love Inc. He also worked at Starbucks Coffee. He tried to become a state representative in 2008 but was not elected. He also ran for the Detroit charter commission. Before winning his second attempt to become a representative, he worked as a school administrator.
Family and Personal Life
John Olumba met Charsha Mauldin when they were both students at the University of Michigan. They got married in 2008 after Charsha returned from working with the Peace Corps in West Africa.
Together, John and Charsha have six children. Their names are Eliezra, Keziah, Azariah, Emmanuel, Jubilee, and Ephraim. John Olumba is also a preacher.
Legislative Career in Michigan
John Olumba served as a state representative for two terms. He worked on many important issues for the people of Michigan.
Leading the Fiscal Oversight Committee
In 2014, Olumba became the leader of the House Appropriations Subcommittee of Fiscal Oversight. This was a special achievement because he was not part of the main political party at the time. It was one of the first times a representative from a minority party led such an important committee.
Investigating Wayne County Offices
As a representative, Olumba became well-known for starting a federal investigation. This investigation looked into the offices of Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano. Olumba said he faced pressure to stop his investigation. He reported that some elected officials visited his home without an invitation. He also said two of his colleagues gave him a letter to sign, asking him to stop the investigation. He gave this letter to federal authorities. The investigation led to legal actions.
Later, Olumba also asked the Michigan Attorney General to investigate Detroit Mayor Dave Bing. He believed money from two city departments was not used correctly.
First Term as State Representative: 2010–2012
In August 2010, John Olumba won a very competitive primary election. He was elected in November 2010 to serve in the Michigan State Legislature. Olumba was born in Detroit, but his father came to Detroit from Africa during the Nigerian Civil War. When Olumba was elected, he became the first person of Nigerian background to hold a state office in Michigan.
Olumba introduced a series of bills called the Detroit Reinvestment and Restructuring Omnibus. This was a large package of bills designed to help improve the city of Detroit. It was the biggest bill package ever created for the city.
During his first term, Olumba served on the House Judiciary and Commerce Committees. He also worked on a special subcommittee focused on Economic Development and Trade.
Second Term as State Representative
In his first term, Olumba represented the 5th house district. This district included the cities of Highland Park and Hamtramck. For his second term, the districts were redrawn, and Olumba was moved into the 3rd district. He won the general election for this district with a large number of votes. The 3rd district is unique because it is entirely within Detroit.
In February 2013, Olumba decided to work more independently as a Democrat. He felt that the Michigan House Democrats were not focusing enough on the needs of urban areas or African American communities. He pointed out that Detroit pays a lot of taxes to the state. However, he believed that Detroiters and African Americans were not well-represented on important committees like the Tax Policy Committee and the Appropriations Committee.
