Sydney Kamlager | |
|---|---|
| Member-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 37th district | |
| Assuming office January 3, 2023 | |
| Succeeding | Karen Bass |
| Member of the California Senate from the 30th district | |
| Assumed office March 11, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Holly Mitchell |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 54th district | |
| In office April 16, 2018 – March 11, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Sebastian Ridley-Thomas |
| Succeeded by | Isaac Bryan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 20, 1972 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Austin Dove (2006–present) |
| Relatives | Kerry James Marshall (stepfather) |
| Education | University of Southern California (BA) Carnegie Mellon University (MA) |
| Website | Official website |
Sydney Kamlager (born July 20, 1972) is an American politician serving in the California State Senate. She is the Congressmember-elect for California’s 37th District, succeeding Rep. Karen Bass. She is a Democrat representing Senate District 30, encompassing Mid-City Los Angeles, the Crenshaw community, Baldwin Hills, Ladera Heights, Windsor Hills, all of Culver City, and parts of Westside Los Angeles.
Prior to being elected to the California Senate, Kamlager served in the California State Assembly and as a trustee for the Los Angeles Community College District. She is a candidate to replace Karen Bass, following her mayoral bid, for California's 37th congressional district.
Sydney Kamlager was born in Chicago, Illinois.[1] She attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science.[2] She was a member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority.[3] She received her Master's in arts management from the Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University.[3] Her mother is actress Cheryl Lynn Bruce and her stepfather is artist Kerry James Marshall.[4][5]
In 1996, Kamlager was the spokesperson for the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) in Venice, California.[6] A year later, she was the organization's public art director during the restoration of the Venice graffiti pit.[7][8] After leaving SPARC, Kamlager worked as an assistant to actor Delroy Lindo.[9] Kamlager later worked as a public affairs director for the non-profit child care corporation Crystal Stairs, an organization headed at the time by Holly Mitchell.[10] Currently, Kamlager sits on the board of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles and is a staunch advocate for reproductive rights.[11][12]
In 2010, Kamlager worked on the campaign to elect Holly Mitchell to the California State Assembly, becoming District Director after Mitchell's victory.[13][14] In 2015, Kamlager ran for Seat 3 of the Board of Trustees for the Los Angeles Community College District.[15] She won with more than 52 percent of the vote among four candidates on March 3, 2015.[16]
After Sebastian Ridley-Thomas announced his resignation from the State Assembly on December 27, 2017, Kamlager entered the race to serve the remainder of his term. She won the April 3, 2018, special election to represent California's 54th State Assembly district.[17]
Kamlager was a strong advocate for racial equity, access and social justice in the California State Assembly. She was vocal about restoring voting rights to parolees, strengthening standards for police use of force, and stopping the NCAA from preventing student athletes from receiving payment in connection with the use of the student athlete's name, image or likeness.[18][19][20] In 2019, she co-authored SB 188, the CROWN Act, which prohibits employers from enforcing policies surrounding "race neutral" grooming or discriminating against people wearing natural or protective hairstyles.[21]
During her tenure in the Assembly, Kamlager sat on the following standing committees: Public Safety, Arts and Entertainment, Communications and Conveyance, Insurance and the powerful Rules committee.[22] She was the chair of the Select Committee on Incarcerated Women and leads the legislature's Los Angeles County Delegation.[23] In 2020, Kamlager was appointed by the Speaker of the California State Assembly to serve on the Committee on Revision of the Penal Code.
Kamlager sponsored AB 987, legislation to build a new arena for the Los Angeles Clippers. The bill was signed into law.[24]
Kamlager sponsored two bills - AB 241 and AB 242 - to mandate the incorporation of implicit bias training into continued education for healthcare professionals, lawyers and judges.[25] The intent of the bills were to reduce disparities in health care and the judicial system in California.
Kamlager sponsored California's first hunting ban in decades with AB 1254, which ends the trophy hunting of bobcats, except under specified circumstances, until January 1, 2025.[26]
On November 10, 2020, Kamlager announced that she would be a candidate for the California State Senate to succeed fellow Democrat Holly Mitchell, who was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.[27] On March 2, 2021, Kamlager was elected to the California State Senate with 67.67% of the vote.[28][29]
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Sydney Kamlager (incumbent) | 41,838 | 55.5 | |
| Democratic | Tepring Michelle Piquado | 11,615 | 15.4 | |
| Republican | Glen Ratcliff | 9,359 | 12.4 | |
| Democratic | Steve Dunwoody | 6,409 | 8.5 | |
| Democratic | Lamar Lyons | 4,899 | 6.5 | |
| Democratic | Breon Dupree Hollie | 1,223 | 1.6 | |
| Total votes | 75,343 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Sydney Kamlager (incumbent) | 95,643 | 62.3 | |
| Democratic | Tepring Michelle Piquado | 57,760 | 37.7 | |
| Total votes | 153,403 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Sydney Kamlager (incumbent) | 42,153 | 55.4% | |
| Democratic | Tracy Bernard Jones | 22,908 | 30.1% | |
| Republican | Glen Ratcliff | 7,789 | 10.2% | |
| Democratic | Clinton Brown | 3,214 | 4.2% | |
| Total votes | 76,064 | 100.00 | ||
