Sydney Kamlager-Dove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sydney Kamlager-Dove
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 37th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Karen Bass |
| Member of the California Senate from the 30th district |
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| In office March 11, 2021 – December 4, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Holly Mitchell |
| Succeeded by | Bob Archuleta (redistricting) |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 54th district |
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| In office April 16, 2018 – March 11, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Sebastian Ridley-Thomas |
| Succeeded by | Isaac Bryan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sydney Kai Kamlager
July 20, 1972 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Austin Dove
(m. 2006) |
| Relatives | Kerry James Marshall (stepfather) |
| Education | Compton College University of Southern California (BA) Carnegie Mellon University (MA) |
Sydney Kai Kamlager-Dove (born July 20, 1972) is an American politician. She is currently a U.S. Representative for California's 37th congressional district, a role she started in 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Before joining the U.S. House of Representatives, she served in the California State Senate and the California State Assembly. She also worked as a trustee for the Los Angeles Community College District.
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Early Life and Education
Sydney Kamlager-Dove was born in Chicago, Illinois. She went to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. There, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. She is also a member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority. Later, she earned a Master's degree in arts management from the Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University. Her mother is actress Cheryl Lynn Bruce, and her stepfather is the famous artist Kerry James Marshall.
Early Career and Public Service
In 1996, Sydney Kamlager-Dove worked as a spokesperson for the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) in Venice, California. The next year, she became the public art director for the organization. She helped with the restoration of the Venice graffiti pit.
After leaving SPARC, she worked as an assistant to actor Delroy Lindo. She also served as a public affairs director for Crystal Stairs, a nonprofit group that helps with child care.
In 2010, Kamlager-Dove helped with the campaign to elect Holly Mitchell to the California State Assembly. After Mitchell won, Kamlager-Dove became her district director. In 2015, she successfully ran for a seat on the board of trustees for the Los Angeles Community College District. She won with more than 52% of the votes.
Serving in the California State Assembly (2018–2021)
In 2018, Sydney Kamlager-Dove was elected to the California State Assembly. She represented California's 54th State Assembly district. She won a special election to finish the term of Sebastian Ridley-Thomas.
Key Focus Areas
As an Assembly member, Kamlager-Dove worked hard for racial equity, fairness, and social justice. She spoke out about important issues like:
- Giving voting rights back to people who had been on parole.
- Making police use-of-force rules stronger.
- Allowing student athletes to earn money from their name, image, or likeness.
In 2019, she helped write a bill called SB 188, also known as the CROWN Act. This law stops employers from having rules about "race-neutral" hairstyles. It also prevents discrimination against people who wear natural or protective hairstyles.
Committee Work
During her time in the Assembly, Kamlager-Dove was part of several important committees. These included Public Safety, Arts and Entertainment, and Insurance. She also led the Select Committee on Incarcerated Women. In 2020, she was chosen to serve on the Committee on Revision of the Penal Code.
Important Laws She Sponsored
Laws About Money and Business
Kamlager-Dove sponsored AB 987. This law helped build a new arena for the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team. The bill was signed into law.
Laws About Social Issues
She also sponsored two bills, AB 241 and AB 242. These bills aimed to make sure healthcare workers, lawyers, and judges received training on implicit bias. This training helps reduce unfairness in healthcare and the justice system in California.
Kamlager-Dove also sponsored California's first hunting ban in many years. This law, AB 1254, stopped the trophy hunting of bobcats until 2025.
Serving in the California State Senate (2021–2023)
In November 2020, Kamlager-Dove announced she would run for the California State Senate. She wanted to take over the seat from Holly Mitchell. On March 2, 2021, Kamlager-Dove was elected to the California State Senate. She won with a large majority of the votes.
U.S. House of Representatives
Election to Congress
In November 2022, Sydney Kamlager-Dove was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She now represents California's 37th district. She took over this role from Karen Bass, who became the mayor of Los Angeles.
Her Work in Congress
In the 118th Congress, Kamlager-Dove serves on two important committees:
- The Committee on Foreign Affairs. This committee deals with how the U.S. interacts with other countries.
- The Committee on Natural Resources. This committee focuses on issues related to land, water, and natural resources.
She is also a member of several groups within Congress, including the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus. She is also a vice-chair of the Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment.
See Also
- List of African-American United States representatives
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
