Lucy Flores facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lucy Flores
Member of the Nevada Assembly from the 28th district
In office November 3, 2010 – November 5, 2014
Preceded by	Mo Denis
Succeeded by	Edgar Flores
Personal details
Born	(1979-10-24) October 24, 1979 (age 46) Glendale, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	College of Southern Nevada University of Southern California (BA) University of Nevada, Las Vegas (JD)

Lucy Flores, born on October 24, 1979, is an American lawyer and former politician. She is a member of the Democratic Party. From 2010 to 2014, she served in the Nevada State Assembly. She represented the 28th district, which is in the eastern part of the Las Vegas Valley. In 2014, she ran for Lieutenant Governor of Nevada but did not win.

Early Life and Learning

Lucy Flores grew up in a large family. Her mother left when Lucy was nine years old. Her father worked many jobs to support the family. Lucy often helped care for her younger brothers and sisters.

When her mother left, Lucy had a tough time in school. She faced challenges and spent some time in a youth program. A kind parole officer named Leslie Camp helped Lucy make positive changes in her life. Lucy's early experiences shaped her views. She believes in helping others through job training and education.

School and College Journey

Lucy left Rancho High School but later passed a test to earn her high school equivalency. She worked as a receptionist and office manager. Then, she attended the College of Southern Nevada. After that, she went to the University of Southern California and earned a bachelor's degree.

In 2010, Lucy earned a law degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While studying law, she encouraged the school to create a course. This course focused on looking into cases where people might have been wrongly convicted.

Political Career

Lucy Flores is a progressive Democrat. She was elected to the Nevada State Assembly in 2010. She became one of the first Latina members of the Nevada Assembly. She represented the very neighborhood where she grew up. In 2012, she was reelected without anyone running against her. She also became an assistant majority whip, which is a leadership role.

Work in the State Assembly

As a state assembly member, Lucy worked on many important issues. She introduced a bill about education. This bill suggested using final exams in high school instead of other tests. She also worked on a bill to help victims of domestic violence. This bill would allow them to end their housing leases early to stay safe.

Another bill she introduced would require medical staff to be present at professional sports events. Lucy also helped organize a meeting for teachers and lawmakers. They discussed ways to improve education for Latino students. She strongly supports expanding education for young children. She believes education is her most important goal as a lawmaker.

In 2013, she introduced a bill about food. It would require chain restaurants to show calorie counts on their menus. This bill passed in both parts of the Nevada legislature. However, Governor Brian Sandoval did not sign it into law.

Helping Other Candidates

Lucy Flores created a group called Impacto Fund. This group helps elect Latino politicians in the Southwest United States. She felt that Latino people were not represented enough in politics. She wanted to encourage more of them to run for office.

During the 2012 United States presidential election, Lucy supported President Barack Obama. She spoke on his behalf and debated members of the Republican Party on TV.

Awards and Recognition

Lucy Flores has received several awards for her work. In 2010, she received the Excellence in Legal Clinics Award from UNLV. The Mexican-American Alumni Association of USC gave her the Hubbard Award in 2007. A group called Latism recognized her for using social media to connect with Latino communities. In 2013, she was named a Rodel Fellow by the Aspen Institute.

Running for Lieutenant Governor

Lucy Flores decided not to run for her Assembly seat again. Instead, she chose to run for Lieutenant Governor of Nevada. Her former Assembly seat was later won by Edgar Flores, who is not related to her.

In the 2014 election for Lieutenant Governor, Lucy Flores was defeated by Mark Hutchison. Even with support from then-Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Leader Harry Reid, she did not win. This election was important because people thought the current Governor, Brian Sandoval, might leave his job early. If he had, the Lieutenant Governor would have taken his place.

Running for Congress

In 2015, Lucy Flores announced she would run for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. She ran against the Republican who held the seat, Cresent Hardy. Many people ran in the primary election for this seat.

Lucy supported Senator Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries. She believed he was fighting for everyday people. Sanders even asked his supporters to donate to both his campaign and Lucy's campaign. Lucy finished second in the primary election.

Later Work

Lucy Flores continues to support progressive causes. She serves on the board of directors for Our Revolution. This is a political group connected to Bernie Sanders. She also works with Let America Vote, which is an organization focused on voting rights.

As of March 2019, Lucy Flores runs a digital media company called Luz Collective. It is based in Los Angeles.