Kevin Zeese facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kevin Zeese
Personal details
Born	(1955-10-28)October 28, 1955 New York, New York, U.S.
Died	September 6, 2020(2020-09-06) (aged 64) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Green
Domestic partner	Margaret Flowers
Children	Alexander B Zeese, Daniel A Zeese
Residence	Baltimore, Maryland
Alma mater	SUNY Buffalo, (BS) George Washington University Law School, (JD)
Profession	Activist, Attorney

Kevin Bruce Zeese (October 28, 1955 – September 6, 2020) was an American lawyer and political activist. He worked to end the "war on drugs" and reduce the number of people in prison. He also helped organize the Occupy movement in Washington, D.C., and was part of a group that stayed at the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, D.C. He started a news website called PopularResistance.org in 2011 with his partner, Margaret Flowers. Kevin Zeese passed away from a heart attack in 2020.

Early Life and Education

Kevin Zeese was born in New York City in 1955. He grew up in Queens, New York, and went to public schools there. He earned a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Later, he graduated from the George Washington University Law School in 1980, becoming a lawyer.

Working for Change: Activism

Kevin Zeese was very active in working for peace and justice.

Opposing War and Promoting Peace

In 2002, he joined peace groups in the Washington, D.C. area to speak out against the war in Iraq. In 2004, he worked with a group called Democracy Rising to focus on opposing wars. He then started a national anti-war group called Voters for Peace in 2006 and led it until 2011.

The Occupy Movement

In October 2011, Kevin Zeese helped start Occupy DC. This group was part of the larger Occupy movement that protested against economic inequality. Occupy DC later joined with Popular Resistance, a group he co-founded.

Standing Against Intervention

In 2018, Kevin Zeese shared his views against countries interfering in other countries' affairs. He believed that the United States should not try to control other nations. He argued that such actions can cause harm, lead to many people leaving their homes, and damage the environment.

Involvement in Politics

Kevin Zeese speaking in Washington, D.C. in 2006

Kevin Zeese was involved in many political activities. He often supported third parties, which are political parties other than the main two (Democrats and Republicans). He worked with the Green Party and even ran for office himself.

Working on Campaigns

In 2003, Kevin Zeese helped with the campaign of Peter Camejo for governor in California. He wrote papers about important issues and helped gather support from people. In 2004, he joined Ralph Nader's presidential campaign. He helped figure out how to get Nader on the ballot in different states and became his spokesperson.

Running for U.S. Senate (2006)

In 2006, Kevin Zeese ran for the U.S. Senate in Maryland. He was nominated by the Maryland Green Party. He was also supported by the Libertarian Party and the Populist Party, which was a rare event for these parties to back the same person.

His campaign was called the "Unity Campaign." He wanted U.S. troops to leave Iraq and spoke out against big businesses having too much influence in politics. He also pushed for changes in how elections were held. Kevin Zeese was the first third-party candidate to be included in a televised debate for this Senate race. He encouraged people to look beyond the main political parties for change. He finished third in the election.

Supporting Other Campaigns

In 2016, Kevin Zeese advised the U.S. Senate campaign of his partner, Margaret Flowers. In 2020, he served as the press secretary for Howie Hawkins' presidential campaign until his passing.

Protecting the Venezuelan Embassy (2019)

Kevin Zeese was a strong supporter of certain political ideas in Venezuela. He believed that Nicolás Maduro was the rightful leader of Venezuela and thought that efforts to remove him were wrong.

In April 2019, a group called Code Pink began staying at the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, D.C. They were invited by the Venezuelan government after its diplomats left. Kevin Zeese was a key spokesperson for this group, explaining why they supported the Venezuelan government. On May 16, authorities entered the embassy, and Kevin Zeese, along with others, was asked to leave and then arrested.

Passing Away

Kevin Zeese passed away suddenly from a heart attack on September 6, 2020.

Election Results