Lucy Flores facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lucy Flores
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| Member of the Nevada Assembly from the 28th district |
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| In office November 3, 2010 – November 5, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Mo Denis |
| Succeeded by | Edgar Flores |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 24, 1979 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 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. This is like being a representative for a part of Nevada. She later ran for Lieutenant Governor of Nevada in 2014 but did not win.
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Early Life and Education
Lucy Flores grew up in a big family. She was one of 13 children. When she was nine, her mother left, and her father worked many jobs. This meant Lucy had to help care for her younger brothers and sisters.
During this time, Lucy faced some challenges. Her school grades dropped, and she spent time in a special youth program after making a mistake. A kind parole officer named Leslie Camp helped Lucy turn her life around. This experience shaped Lucy's views. She believes in helping others through job training and good education.
Lucy left Rancho High School early but later passed the GED test. This test shows you have high school-level knowledge. She worked as a receptionist and office manager. Then, she went to the College of Southern Nevada. Later, she transferred to the University of Southern California and earned her degree.
In 2010, she earned a law degree, called a J.D., from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While studying law, she encouraged the school to create a class. This class would teach students how to investigate cases where someone might have been wrongly convicted.
Political Career
Serving in the State Assembly
Lucy Flores is a progressive Democrat. This means she supports ideas that aim to improve society and help people. In 2010, she was elected to the Nevada State Assembly. In 2012, she became the vice-chair of the Nevada Hispanic Legislative Caucus. This group helps represent people of Hispanic heritage in the state government.
Lucy was one of the first Latina women to serve in the Nevada Assembly. She represented the very neighborhood where she grew up. She worked on important committees, like those for transportation and elections. She was reelected in 2012 without anyone running against her. In 2012, she also became an assistant majority whip. This role helps make sure party members vote together on important issues.
Lucy introduced several bills (proposed laws). One bill suggested using final exams in high school instead of other tests. Another bill aimed to help victims of domestic violence break their leases safely. She also proposed a bill to require medical staff at professional sports events. She helped organize a meeting for teachers and lawmakers. They discussed ways to improve education for Latino students. Lucy believes that education is her most important goal as a lawmaker.
In 2013, she introduced a bill to make chain restaurants show calorie counts on their menus. This bill passed in Nevada's legislature. However, Governor Brian Sandoval did not sign it into law.
Lucy also created a group called Impacto Fund. This group helps elect Latino politicians in the Southwest United States. She felt that Latino people were not well-represented in politics. She wanted to encourage more of them to run for office.
During the 2012 presidential election, Lucy helped President Barack Obama's campaign. She spoke on TV and debated other politicians. She even had to go to the hospital once because she was so tired from campaigning.
Lucy has received several awards for her work. These include the Excellence in Legal Clinics Award from UNLV in 2010. She also received the Hubbard Award from USC in 2007. Latism, a group focused on Latinos and social media, named her the best politician for using social media to connect with Latinos. In 2013, she was chosen as a Rodel Fellow by the Aspen Institute. She has also been part of several important groups.
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 old seat was then taken by Edgar Flores, who is not related to her.
In the 2014 election for Lieutenant Governor, Lucy Flores lost to Republican Mark Hutchison. She received 34% of the votes, while he received 60%. Even though Vice President Joe Biden visited to support her, and Senator Harry Reid endorsed her, she did not win.
Running for Congress
In April 2015, Lucy Flores announced she would run for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. She wanted to represent Nevada's 4th district. The election was in 2016. Many people ran in the primary election for this seat.
Lucy supported Senator Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries. She said that the political system was not working for everyday people. She believed Bernie Sanders could help fix this. Bernie Sanders even asked his supporters to donate money to both his campaign and Lucy's.
Lucy came in second place in the primary election. She received 7,854 votes. The winner was State Senator Ruben Kihuen.
Later Work and Advocacy
Lucy Flores continues to support progressive causes. She serves on the board of directors for Our Revolution. This group is connected to Bernie Sanders. She also works with Let America Vote, which helps protect voting rights.
As of March 2019, Lucy Flores runs Luz Collective. This is a digital media company based in Los Angeles.
Images for kids
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Lucy Flores
