Kiah Morris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kiah Morris
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| Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from the Bennington 2-2 district |
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| In office January 7, 2015 – September 25, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Anne Lamy Mook |
| Succeeded by | Jim Carroll |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ruqaiyah Khadijah Morris
March 14, 1976 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | James Lawton |
| Residence | Bennington, Vermont |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (BA) |
Ruqaiyah Khadijah "Kiah" Morris (born March 14, 1976) is an American politician who formerly served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives for the Democratic Party.
Early life and education
Born in Chicago, Morris earned a B.A. in Gender Studies from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and a graduate degree from Roosevelt University.
Political career
Morris was first elected in 2014 alongside longtime Republican representative Mary A. Morrissey. The two were reelected in 2016 after running unopposed. The only African American woman in the state legislature, Morris announced in August 2018 that she would not seek reelection to a third term following a campaign of racist threats against her and her family. She resigned the following month, citing as an additional factor the desire to focus on her husband's recovery from open-heart surgery.
Morris has also served as director of the Alliance for Community Transformations, based in Bennington.
Electoral history
| Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont House of Representatives, Bennington 2-2 district | |||||
| Nov 4, 2014 | General | Mary A. Morrissey | Republican | 1,241 | 42.49 |
| Kiah Morris | Democratic | 873 | 29.89 | ||
| Joann Erenhouse | Democratic | 797 | 27.29 | ||
| Write-Ins | 10 | 0.33 | |||
| Anne Lamy Mook did not seek reelection; seat stayed Democratic | |||||
| Nov 8, 2016 | General | Mary A. Morrissey | Republican | 2,143 | 54.61 |
| Kiah Morris | Democratic | 1,757 | 44.78 | ||
| Write-Ins | 24 | 0.61 | |||
Personal life
Morris is married to James Lawton. They have a son.
Films
Documentary
- Backlash: Misogyny in the Digital Age'. Canada. 2022. La Ruelle Films. Dir. Léa Clermont-Dion, Guylaine Maroist. [Je vous salue salope: la misogynie au temps du numérique] (French version).
