Adena Ishii Explained

Adena Ishii (c.1990[1]) is mayor elect of Berkeley, California[2] [3] She is the first Asian American and woman of color to be elected to the position.

Personal life

Ishii grew up in Agoura Hills, California. She has two sisters and her parents worked in the film industry. Some of Ishii’s Japanese American relatives were incarcerated during World War II in internment camps due to Executive Order 9066.

Ishii has one daughter and is married to Andrew Kitirattragarn.[4] [5]

Education and Early Career

Ishii attended Berkeley City College in 2009. She later transferred to and graduated from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. She worked for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. She later received a Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University. Ishii worked as a nonprofit education consultant Ishii was the Voter Services Director for the Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville League of Women Voters chapter[6] and later became the president.[7] [8] She held the president position from 2017-2019 and was the first woman of color to hold this position and was also the youngest person to hold this position.

2024 Campaign

Ishii ran in the 2024 Berkeley mayoral race against Sophie Hahn and Katie Harrison, former District 4 City Council member.[9] Ishii’s campaign manager was Cydney Chilimidos.

Ishii’s campaign utilized Berkeley’s public financing program that limited individual contributions up to $60 but matched those individual contributions at a 6-1 ratio.

During her 2024 campaign, Ishii ran on building more affordable housing and supporting mental health resources. She received several organizational endorsements during her 2024 campaign, including from the Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County (APADC),[10] Housing Action Coalition,[11] Berkley Democratic Club,[12] East Bay for Everyone,[13] Run for Something,[14] East Bay YIMBY,[15] and Gun Sense Voter.[16] She also received an endorsement from Barry Fike, the former president of Berkeley Federation of Teachers.[17]

On November 20, 2024, Ishii’s opponent Sophie Hahn conceded the race.

Ishii will be sworn into office privately on December 6, 2024 and will be sworn in again at her first City Council Meeting on December 10, 2024.[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Veltman . Chloe . 2020-08-20 . How Student Adena Ishii Made History With the League of Women Voters KQED . 2024-11-27 . www.kqed.org . en.
  2. Web site: Savidge . Nico . 2024-11-23 . How political outsider Adena Ishii upended the Berkeley mayor’s race . 2024-11-27 . Berkeleyside . en-US.
  3. Web site: Adena Ishii takes victory as first woman of color to be Berkeley's mayor KTVU FOX 2 . 2024-11-27 . www.ktvu.com.
  4. Web site: Savidge . Nico . 2024-11-21 . Adena Ishii wins Berkeley mayor's race . 2024-11-27 . Berkeleyside . en-US.
  5. Web site: About . 2024-11-27 . Adena Ishii for Berkeley Mayor 2024 . en-US.
  6. Web site: 2021-05-24 . Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with Team LWV! League of Women Voters . 2024-11-27 . www.lwv.org . en.
  7. Web site: Ravani . Sarah . 2024-10-31 . Amid toxic turn in Berkeley politics, voters set to choose Arreguín’s successor as mayor . 2024-11-27 . San Francisco Chronicle . en.
  8. Web site: Ravani . Sarah . 2024-11-21 . Berkeley’s next mayor is a City Hall outsider who promises ‘reset’ and unity . 2024-11-27 . San Francisco Chronicle . en.
  9. Web site: Staff . Ayah Ali-Ahmad Senior . 2024-11-20 . Adena Ishii declares victory in Berkeley mayoral race . 2024-11-27 . www.dailycal.org . en.
  10. Web site: Endorsed Candidates for North Alameda County, November 2024 General Election .
  11. Web site: Coalition . Housing Action . 2024-07-31 . November 2024 Election Endorsements . 2024-11-27 . Housing Action Coalition . en-US.
  12. Web site: Berkley Democratic Club 2024 Local Endorsements .
  13. Web site: Sagehorn . Derek . EB4E Fall 2024 Endorsements East Bay for Everyone . 2024-11-27 . en-US.
  14. Web site: Adena Ishii . 2024-11-27 . Run For Something.
  15. Web site: November 2024 Voter Guide . 2024-11-27 . East Bay YIMBY.
  16. Web site: Stories . 2024-11-27 . Gun Sense Voter . en-US.
  17. Web site: Fike . Barry . 2024-10-17 . Opinion: Adena Ishii is the best choice for Berkeley mayor . 2024-11-27 . Berkeleyside . en-US.
  18. Web site: Staff . Emewodesh Eshete Senior . 2024-11-26 . Ishii sets her sights on collaboration and transparency as Berkeley’s next mayor . 2024-11-27 . www.dailycal.org . en.

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