Rocky Anderson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rocky Anderson
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| 33rd Mayor of Salt Lake City | |
| In office January 3, 2000 – January 7, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Deedee Corradini |
| Succeeded by | Ralph Becker |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ross Carl Anderson II
September 9, 1951 Logan, Utah, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (before 2012, 2022–present) Justice (2012–2022) |
| Residences | Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Education | University of Utah (BA) George Washington University (JD) |
Ross Carl "Rocky" Anderson II (born September 9, 1951) is an American lawyer, writer, and activist. He is known for working to protect civil and human rights. He served two terms as the 33rd Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah, from 2000 to 2008.
Before becoming mayor, Anderson worked as a lawyer in Salt Lake City for 21 years. After his time as mayor, he started a group called High Road for Human Rights. He also went back to being a lawyer, often challenging government programs. In 2012, he ran for president as the candidate for his new Justice Party. He ran for mayor of Salt Lake City again in 2023 but did not win.
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Early Life and Education
Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson was born in Logan, Utah. He was one of three children. His parents worked at a lumber company started by his great-grandfather.
Rocky was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). However, he later disagreed with some of the church's teachings. He felt strongly about equal rights for all people. He also believed that people should always follow their own conscience.
Anderson studied many subjects at the University of Utah. These included ethics and political ideas. He played lead guitar in a band called the Viscounts during high school. He also worked many jobs, like shingling roofs and driving trucks.
After high school, he went to the University of Utah. He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy. He realized that everyone is responsible for standing up against what is wrong.
After college, Anderson worked various jobs before going to law school. In 1978, he graduated with honors from George Washington University Law School. He earned his law degree there.
His Career as a Lawyer
After law school, Anderson returned to Salt Lake City to practice law. He worked on many different types of cases. He often represented individuals who were suing large companies or government groups. He worked to protect people's civil rights.
Anderson helped change Utah's child custody laws. He also helped create a program to give legal help to people who could not afford it. He was a leader in the Utah State Bar Association.
Helping the Community
While working as a lawyer, Anderson volunteered with many non-profit groups. These groups worked to protect civil rights and help children. They also worked to improve the justice system. He was president of the boards for groups like the ACLU of Utah.
Anderson also spoke out against some government policies. He organized trips to Nicaragua so people could see what was happening there. He also helped solve a difficult crime in Salt Lake City by reviewing documents and finding witnesses.
Running for Congress
In 1996, Anderson ran for Congress as a Democrat. He did not get much financial help from his party. Some leaders thought he was too liberal. This was because he supported civil rights and opposed the death penalty. He lost the election but received many votes.
Mayor of Salt Lake City
Anderson ran for Mayor of Salt Lake City in 1999. He won the election with 60% of the votes. He was re-elected in 2003.
His time as mayor was very busy. He helped host the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He also started the Salt Lake City International Jazz Festival. He worked hard to protect the environment and expand the city's light rail system. He also created a successful program for young people called YouthCity.
Anderson was known for supporting equal rights for all people. He signed an order to help increase the number of people from diverse backgrounds working for the city.
He decided not to run for a third term. He wanted to focus on working for human rights reforms across the country.
Protecting the Environment
Anderson was known as one of the "greenest" mayors in the United States. He started the Salt Lake City Green Program. This program worked to make the city more sustainable and reduce pollution. In just three years, the city reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 31%.
As part of this program, Salt Lake City aimed to meet the goals of the Kyoto Protocol. This is an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gases. The city met its goals seven years early.
Anderson received awards for his environmental work. These included the Climate Protection Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Salt Lake City also won a World Leadership Award for its environmental programs.
Anderson showed how to live green in his own life. He used solar panels at his home and recycled everything. He also used a natural gas-powered car.
He taught other city leaders about climate change. He organized summits where mayors learned how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He also spoke at international conferences about the climate crisis.
Helping Diverse Communities
In 2001, many undocumented workers at the Salt Lake City Airport were arrested. In response, Mayor Anderson created the Family to Family program. This program helped Salt Lake City families support the airport workers and their families.
He also worked against laws that would make English the only official language in Utah. He spoke at large events supporting immigration reform. He received awards for his work with Hispanic communities.
Anderson also started a program to help increase hiring of people from different ethnic backgrounds in city government. This led to more diversity in city jobs.
The 2002 Winter Olympics
Anderson worked with Mitt Romney to lead Salt Lake City during the 2002 Winter Olympics. He helped make sure there was enough money for public safety during the games. Romney said that Anderson was key to making the Olympic funding deal happen.
Standing Up for Human Rights
Anderson was a strong opponent of the 2003 war in Iraq. He was the only mayor of a major city to call for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice-President Cheney. He believed they had abused their power and misled the country into war.
He often spoke at rallies and on TV against the war. He also criticized the Democratic Party for not doing enough to stop the war.
After being mayor, Anderson focused on human rights. He founded High Road for Human Rights. This group worked to educate people about human rights abuses. It aimed to push elected officials to take action.
The group focused on issues like torture, genocide, and the death penalty. Anderson testified before Congress about government abuses of power. He received awards for his human rights work.
After Being Mayor
After President Obama was elected, Anderson criticized some of his policies. He felt that Obama continued some of the problems from the previous administration. He believed that Obama had not kept many of his promises.
In 2011, Anderson announced he was leaving the Democratic Party. He felt the party was not strong enough in standing up for important issues. He said the party was "gutless" and controlled by special interests.
His Presidential Campaign
In 2011, Anderson announced he would run for president in 2012. He was the candidate for a new group called the Justice Party. His running mate was Luis J. Rodriguez, a writer and activist.
He also sought nominations from other smaller parties. He appeared on the ballot in several states. In the end, he received about 43,000 votes in the election.
Personal Life
Rocky Anderson has one son, who was born in 1982. He lives in Salt Lake City with his Golden Retriever dog, Franklin, and his parrot, Cardozo.
