Christina Olague Explained

Christina Olague
Office:Member of the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
from District 5
Term Start:January 9, 2012
Term End:January 8, 2013
Predecessor:Ross Mirkarimi
Successor:London Breed
1Namedata:Ed Lee
Birth Date:11 June 1961
Birth Place:Merced, California, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Residence:San Francisco, California
Alma Mater:California Institute of Integral Studies
Occupation:Politician
Profession:Community organizer
Website:www.christinaolague.com

Christina Olague [1] (born June 11, 1961) is an American senior and housing rights advocate and an American politician. She served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2012, representing District 5, which consists of Haight-Ashbury, part of Hayes Valley, the Inner Sunset, Japantown, and the Western Addition.[2]

Olague was appointed to the post by mayor Ed Lee in the wake of her predecessor Ross Mirkarimi's election to be sheriff of San Francisco. However, she was defeated by challenger London Breed in the San Francisco Board of Supervisors elections, 2012. She was the first openly bisexual person to serve as a San Francisco Supervisor.[3]

Personal life

Olague grew up in a farm labor camp in California's Central Valley. The injustices she witnessed there drove her to participate in politics as a teenager, when she became involved in matters concerning immigrants, anti-war efforts, and opposition to nuclear energy.[1]

Olague is openly bisexual.[4]

Political career

Olague was active in the Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition in the late 1990s fighting for low income residents of the Mission.[5] She then worked with Senior Action Network. She worked to defeat Proposition 98 the statewide measure that would have banned rent control.

Prior to her appointment to the Board of Supervisors, she served as the president of the San Francisco Planning Commission. As planning commissioner, she worked to pass laws that would stop owner move in evictions of seniors, the disabled or the terminally ill.[6] She lost her seat as a supervisor of a progressive district to London Breed. Her loss was due primarily to her controversial vote to allow Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi to remain in office despite his pleading guilty to a domestic violence charge.[7]

She also served on the board of LYRIC, the Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center for LGBT youth in the Castro, and was a member of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, and the Transit Riders Union.[8] [9] Olague switched from the Green Party to the Democratic Party with the election of Barack Obama.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Christina Olague Speaks at D5Dems 6/6/2012. . October 11, 2012.
  2. News: Gordon . Rachel . Lee appoints Christina Olague as new S.F. District 5 supervisor . January 9, 2012 . San Francisco Chronicle . January 9, 2012.
  3. https://ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=73197 "Political Notebook: Lee left lasting LGBT legacy"
  4. http://ebar.com/blogs/?p=5005 "Busy weekend for SF LGBT politicos"
  5. (January 12, 2012) "Political Notebook: City gains first bi supervisor." SFGate. (Retrieved 11-2-2012.)
  6. (October 2012) "2012 Endorsements" San Francisco Tenants Union. (Retrieved 11-2-2012.)
  7. Eskanazi, Joe (January 7, 2015) "Name Your Poison: Ross Mirkarimi Fights Against Tough Odds and a Well Named Foe." SF Weekly. (Retrieved 2-24-2015.)
  8. (January 17, 2012) "Daughter of Farmworker Becomes SF’s First Out Bisexual Supervisor." New America Media. (Retrieved 7-4-2012.)
  9. (January 12, 2012) "Christina Olague: Ed Lee’s pick for District 5 supervisor." Bay Area Reporter. (Retrieved 7-4-2012.)
  10. Gordon, Rachel and Knight, Heather (January 10, 2012) "Christina Olague elated as pick for District 5 seat." San Francisco Chronicle. (Retrieved 7-4-2012.)