Symone Sanders-Townsend facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Symone Sanders-Townsend
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![]() Sanders in 2022
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Personal details | |
Born | December 10, 1989 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Shawn Townsend
(m. 2022) |
Education | Creighton University (BBA) |
Symone D. Sanders-Townsend (born December 10, 1989) is an American political expert and TV host. She helps politicians with their plans and talks about news on TV. She hosts a show called The Weekend on MSNBC.
Symone was a main spokesperson for Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign. Later, she became a political expert for CNN. In 2019, she joined Joe Biden's presidential campaign. After he won, she became a top advisor and spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris. In 2021, she decided to leave the White House to go back to working in TV.
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Early Life and Education
Symone Sanders-Townsend grew up in North Omaha, Nebraska. Her dad, Daniel Sanders, used to work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Her mom, Terri Sanders, used to run the Omaha Star newspaper. She also led the Great Plains Black History Museum.
As a child, Symone went to Sacred Heart Catholic School. She always dreamed of having her own TV show. She would pretend to be a TV host named Donna Burns at home.
Her first job was at Time Out Foods in Omaha. This was a restaurant owned by Black people. She finished high school in 2008 from Mercy High School.
Symone then went to Creighton University. She earned a degree in business administration. While in college, she worked at a law office. This helped her realize that she did not want to be a lawyer.
Symone's Career Journey
Symone Sanders-Townsend started her career in local government. She worked for the mayor of Omaha, Jim Suttle. She also helped with communications for a political candidate named Chuck Hassebrook in 2014.
Working on Presidential Campaigns
In 2015, Symone joined Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. She was his national press secretary. This meant she was the main person talking to the news for him. A magazine called Fusion named her one of 30 young women who would impact the 2016 election.
She left the campaign in June 2016. Later that year, she started working for CNN. She was an analyst and commentator there. Rolling Stone magazine also recognized her as a young American shaping the 2016 election.
After that, she joined Joe Biden's presidential campaign in 2019. In 2020, she wrote a book called No, You Shut Up. The book shares her experiences of speaking up and fighting for her beliefs.
Working in the White House
On November 29, 2020, Symone was chosen for an important role. She became the chief spokesperson and a senior advisor for Vice President Kamala Harris. She helped share information and give advice.
On December 1, 2021, Symone announced she would leave this role.
Her TV Shows
Soon after leaving the White House, MSNBC announced her new job. She would host a weekend show for them. She would also have a show on Peacock, a streaming service. Her new MSNBC show, Symone, started on May 7, 2022.
In November 2023, MSNBC announced a new plan for Symone. She would move to weekend mornings. She would anchor a new show called The Weekend. She hosts it with Alicia Menendez and Michael Steele. Her show Symone ended on January 7, 2024. The Weekend started on the same day.
Personal Life
Symone Sanders-Townsend is married to Shawn Townsend. He used to be Washington D.C.'s "Night Mayor". This role helps with the city's nightlife. They got married on July 15, 2022. They live in Washington, D.C.
Books by Symone
- No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America. New York: Harper (2020). ISBN: 0062942689