Kenyan McDuffie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kenyan McDuffie
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia from the at-large district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2, 2023
Preceded by	Elissa Silverman
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia from Ward 5
In office May 30, 2012 – January 2, 2023
Preceded by	Harry Thomas Jr.
Succeeded by	Zachary Parker
Personal details
Born	1975 (age 49–50)
Political party	Democratic (before 2022) Independent (2022–present)
Education	University of the District of Columbia Howard University (BA) University of Maryland, Baltimore (JD)

Kenyan R. McDuffie (born around 1975) is an American lawyer and independent politician. He works in Washington, D.C., helping to make laws and decisions for the city.

Since 2023, he has been an "at-large" member of the Council of the District of Columbia. This means he represents the entire city, not just one area. Before that, from 2012 to 2023, he represented a specific area called Ward 5.

Early Life and Education

Kenyan McDuffie grew up in a neighborhood called Stronghold, which is in Ward 5 of Washington, D.C. After finishing high school at Woodrow Wilson High School, he had a few different jobs. He sold ice cream at the National Zoo and briefly attended the University of the District of Columbia.

Later, he worked for the United States Postal Service, delivering mail.

Career Journey

After working for the Postal Service for four years, McDuffie went back to college. He studied at the University of the District of Columbia and then graduated with high honors from Howard University in 2002. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science, which is the study of government and how people are governed.

In 2006, he earned a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. While there, he helped edit a law journal and worked as a research assistant for a professor named Tom Perez.

Working in Law and Government

After law school, McDuffie worked for Prince George's County, Maryland. He started as a law clerk, helping a judge, and then became an assistant state's attorney. In this role, he handled different types of legal cases in court.

Later, McDuffie worked for Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents Washington, D.C., in the U.S. Congress. He helped her with local issues and even helped write new laws.

In 2008, he joined the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Here, he investigated cases and managed legal issues across the United States. His work focused on making sure people's civil rights were protected, including those with mental illnesses. He also worked on cases to help improve how police departments operate.

In 2010, McDuffie became an advisor to the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice. He helped connect public safety agencies and worked on important policies. He also served as the president of the Stronghold Civic Association, helping his local community.

Becoming a Council Member

2010 Election for Ward 5

In 2010, Kenyan McDuffie decided to run for a seat on the Council of the District of Columbia, representing Ward 5. He wanted to create more job opportunities and address health issues like HIV. He felt that the current council member, Harry Thomas Jr., was not active enough in solving problems.

McDuffie highlighted important issues in Ward 5 during his campaign. These included the need for better education, job training, affordable housing, and more services for senior citizens. However, Thomas won that election.

2012 Special Election

In January 2012, the Ward 5 council seat became empty when Harry Thomas Jr. resigned due to breaking rules. McDuffie decided to run again in the special election to fill the open seat.

Many groups supported McDuffie's campaign, including firefighter and nurses unions, and other community organizations. McDuffie won the special election, receiving 43 percent of the votes.

Re-election Campaigns

McDuffie successfully ran for re-election in 2014 and 2018, continuing to represent Ward 5. In both elections, he won with a large majority of the votes.

2022 Election for At-Large Seat

In 2022, McDuffie announced he would not run for the Ward 5 seat again. Instead, he planned to run for Attorney General for the District of Columbia. However, there was a challenge to his qualifications, and a court decided he could not run for that position.

After this, in June 2022, McDuffie changed his political party registration to independent. He then decided to run for one of the "at-large" seats on the Council. These seats represent the entire city, not just one ward. In November 2022, he was elected to an at-large seat, joining Anita Bonds and ahead of Elissa Silverman.

Key Political Work

Kenyan McDuffie speaking at a rally in 2017.

Leading Government Operations

As the leader of the Committee on Government Operations, McDuffie helped pass important changes to how political campaigns are funded. He worked to close a "loophole" that allowed certain companies to give more money than individuals. His new rules also made it easier for the public to see how campaigns raise and spend money.

Judiciary Committee Work

As the leader of the Judiciary Committee, McDuffie helped pass laws that make things fairer for people. For example, he supported a law that stops landlords from checking a person's criminal background when they apply for housing. He also helped pass a law to prevent employers from unfairly using someone's credit history when hiring.

McDuffie also helped create the Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results Act (NEAR Act). This law changed how the city's justice system works by bringing in mental health experts to help with situations that used to only involve police officers.

Business and Economic Development

McDuffie has worked to reduce the difference in wealth between different racial groups in the District. He introduced the Child Wealth Building Act, which would create a special savings fund for children, sometimes called "baby bonds." The goal is to help families build wealth and end poverty over generations.

In 2021, McDuffie also introduced a plan to create a special group to study and suggest ideas for reparations for African American descendants of slavery.

McDuffie is also a member of other important committees, including:

• Committee on Transportation and the Environment
• Committee on Housing and Executive Administration
• Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs

Personal Life

Kenyan McDuffie lives in Washington, D.C., on North Capitol Street. He lives with his wife, Princess, and their two daughters, Jozi and Kesi.