Kina Collins Explained

Kina Collins
Birth Date:8 March 1991
Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education:Carthage College
Louisiana State University (BA)
Party:Democratic

Kina Isis Collins[1] is an American community organizer and activist, whose work has focused on issues of gun control, criminal justice reform, and universal healthcare.[2] [3] Collins is a candidate in the 2024 U.S. House election for Illinois' 7th congressional district Democratic primary, and was previously a primary candidate for the same seat in the 2020 and 2022 elections, winning 13.8% and 45.6% of the vote respectively.[4] [5] [6] [7]

Early life and education

Collins was born and raised in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago. She was a student in the Chicago Public Schools system, during which time she served as a Summer of Service Learning Ambassador.[8] She attended Carthage College and Louisiana State University, where she studied international political economy and sociology respectively.[9]

Activism and career

Community organizing and non-profit work

From 2015 to 2017, Collins worked as a regional organizer from Louisiana for Generation Progress, a youth-centered research and advocacy group formed under the Center for American Progress.[10] During 2016–17, she was selected as a member of Generation Progress' #Fight4AFuture National Leadership Council, which developed campaigns on gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform.[11] [12]

In 2017, she founded an organization called the Chicago Neighborhood Alliance, with the goal of empowering activists to end gun violence in Chicago through civic engagement.[13] [14] [15] From 2018 to 2019, she worked as a national organizer for Physicians for a National Health Program.[16] As of 2020, she serves as the Executive Director of the Gun Violence Prevention Education Center and Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, a statewide organization focused on gun violence prevention.[17] [18]

Electoral politics and government

Collins was a staff member in J. B. Pritzker's campaign for governor of Illinois in 2018, but resigned after recordings of conversations between Pritzker and Rod Blagojevich in 2009 where Pritzker made racially insensitive remarks were publicly released.[19] Later in that election cycle, she served as the political director for Sameena Mustafa's unsuccessful campaign for Illinois' 5th congressional district.[20]

In 2018, Collins co-authored the Illinois Council on Women and Girls Act, which created a council to advise the governor and state lawmakers on issues concerning women and girls.[21] She served as the Council's inaugural chairwoman.[22] [23] During her tenure as the Council's chair, Collins was also selected by Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia to serve on the Status of Women and Girls in Chicago working group.[24]

During the 2019 Chicago aldermanic election, Collins helped form a coalition of organizations called Brand New Council, which aimed to elect progressive candidates of color to Chicago City Council.[25] [26] The coalition endorsed 16 candidates and worked to register new voters.[27]

Recognition

She received the Vernita Grey Community Activist Award from the Chicago chapter of the National Organization for Women in 2018.

Candidacy for Congress

2020 election

Collins announced her candidacy for U.S. Representative from Illinois's 7th congressional district on May 13, 2019.[28] She challenged incumbent congressman Danny K. Davis in the Democratic Party primary election for the seat in March 2020, in addition to two other challengers, Anthony Clark and Kristine Schanbacher. Collins highlighted single-payer healthcare, research and resources for gun violence prevention, and criminal justice reform as her three top priorities if elected.[29] She received endorsements from several local officials, including Chicago alderman Jeanette Taylor, Illinois House Representative Anna Moeller, two Oak Park village trustees, two River Forest village trustees, and two local school board members.[30] She was also endorsed by several organizations including the Center for Popular Democracy,[31] Women's March Illinois,[32] and Northside Democracy for America.[33] In the March 17, 2020, Democratic primary election, she placed second with 13.8% of the vote.

2022 election

Collins announced her candidacy for Illinois's 7th congressional district in 2022 on June 1, 2021. Along with the launch of her campaign, she announced an endorsement from Justice Democrats. Collins outraised incumbent Representative Danny Davis in both of the first two quarters of her campaign.[34] [35] In the June 28, 2022, Democratic primary election, she placed second with 45% of the vote.[36]

2024 election

Collins again announced her candidacy for Illinois's 7th congressional district in 2024 on July 10, 2023.[37] She concurrently announced endorsements from several local elected officials, including Chicago City Council members Angela Clay, Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth, Daniel La Spata, and Byron Sigcho-Lopez.

On March 8, 2024, The Strokes performed a benefit concert for Collins. This is the second time they have performed for her campaign, the first being in 2022.[38]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FEC Form 2: Statement of Candidacy. May 31, 2021. October 14, 2021. Federal Election Commission.
  2. Web site: Kina Collins. IMDb. July 3, 2019.
  3. Web site: LIGHTFOOT's Council challenge — TRUDEAU hits Chicago — Activist will face DANNY DAVIS. Kapos. Shia. Hurst. Adrienne. POLITICO. en. June 19, 2019.
  4. Web site: Kina Collins. Ballotpedia. en. June 19, 2019.
  5. Web site: Meet Kina. Kina Collins for Congress. en-US. June 19, 2019.
  6. Web site: Marans. Daniel. June 1, 2021. Progressive Activist Kina Collins Announces Primary Against Rep. Danny Davis. June 1, 2021. HuffPost. en.
  7. Web site: Krieg. Gregory. June 1, 2021. Anti-gun-violence activist Kina Collins announces primary challenge to Illinois Democrat Danny Davis. June 1, 2021. CNN.
  8. Web site: Meet our 2018 Woman Who Dared: Kina Collins. Chicago NOW. September 28, 2018. en-US. June 19, 2019.
  9. Web site: Kina Collins LinkedIn. Collins. Kina. LinkedIn. June 19, 2019.
  10. Web site: STATEMENT: Generation Progress #Fight4AFuture Network Members on Recent Police Shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Generation Progress. en-US. June 19, 2019.
  11. Web site: RELEASE: Generation Progress Names 20 Young People to National Leadership Council for Gun Violence Prevention and Criminal Justice Reform. May 2, 2016. Generation Progress. en-US. June 19, 2019.
  12. Web site: Meet The 2016-2017 #Fight4AFuture National Leadership Council. May 2, 2016. Generation Progress. en-US. June 19, 2019.
  13. Web site: Inspirational Woman 2018: Kina Collins. June 7, 2018. skinlessproject.com. June 19, 2019.
  14. Web site: Same activists who won justice for Laquan set sights on City Council races. Spielman. Fran. October 10, 2018. Chicago Sun-Times. June 19, 2019.
  15. Web site: Domestic violence, gun control in spotlight at vigil for Mercy shooting victims. Armentrout. Mitchell. November 21, 2018. Chicago Sun-Times. June 21, 2019.
  16. Web site: PNHP Board of Directors and Staff. PNHP. en-US. June 19, 2019.
  17. Web site: Jones. Tia Carol. October 7, 2020. Organizer aspires for change in community and Congressional chambers. February 8, 2021. Citizen Weekly.
  18. Web site: Sullender. Andrew. January 31, 2021. Chicago area gun dealers say record sales since Jan. 6 driven by 'fear, plain and simple'. February 8, 2021. Chicago Sun-Times. en.
  19. Web site: Pritzker staffer who quit over racial comments speaks out. February 13, 2018. ABC7 Chicago. en. June 19, 2019.
  20. Web site: Northwestern alumna Sameena Mustafa runs for Congress in Illinois. Li. Amy. March 5, 2018. The Daily Northwestern. June 19, 2019.
  21. Web site: Kick-off celebration held for new Illinois Council on Women and Girls. Staff. WICS/WRSP. April 9, 2019. WICS. June 19, 2019.
  22. Web site: Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia taps female power players to improve status of city's girls and women. October 22, 2018. Chicago Foundation for Women. en. June 19, 2019.
  23. Web site: Gov. Pritzker announces 21 new members of Illinois Council on Women and Girls. April 10, 2019. CIProud. en-US. June 19, 2019.
  24. Web site: Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia taps female power players to improve status of city's girls and women. Stevens. Heidi. October 22, 2018. chicagotribune.com. June 21, 2019.
  25. Web site: Young Chicago Activists Have A Plan: Take Over City Hall. Woelfel. Mariah. February 5, 2019. WBEZ. en. June 21, 2019.
  26. Web site: Activists aim to vote out Black aldermen after Van Dyke rulings Gary/Chicago Crusader. The Chicago Crusader. en-US. June 21, 2019.
  27. Web site: Endorsed are the following candidates. Brand New Council. February 6, 2019. @ChicagoBrandNew. en. June 21, 2019.
  28. Web site: Collins. Kina. May 13, 2019. Today, I announced that I am running for the #IL07 Congressional District seat! Please follow my new campaign account, @Kina4Congress for updates, and read all about my campaign …. June 19, 2019. @KinaCollins_. en.
  29. Web site: Policy Platform. Kina Collins for Congress. en-US. June 19, 2019.
  30. Web site: Austin congressional hopeful nabs suburban endorsements. Sheridan. Stacey. January 30, 2020. austinweeklynews.com. en-US. January 31, 2020.
  31. Web site: Endorsements. Kina Collins for Congress. en-US. January 31, 2020. April 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200408064545/https://kinaforcongress.com/endorsements. dead.
  32. Web site: Meet Women's March - Illinois supported candidate, Kina Collins, and let's help get a new powerhouse representative from Chicago to DC on March 17, 2020!. Women's March Illinois. January 24, 2020. facebook.com. en. January 31, 2020.
  33. Web site: Northside Democracy for America. Northside Democracy for America. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200104152950/https://www.northsidedfa.com/. January 4, 2020. January 31, 2020.
  34. Web site: House Democrats build cash reserves ahead of 2022 midterms. Ackley. Kate. July 16, 2021. October 14, 2021. Roll Call.
  35. Web site: Police union's anti-vax posturing gets mayor's eyeroll. October 14, 2021. October 14, 2021 . . Shia . Kapos.
  36. Web site: U.S. Rep. Danny Davis Wins Over Challenger Kina Collins in 7th Congressional District: AP . June 29, 2022 . WTTW News . en.
  37. Web site: Kapos . Shia . 2023-07-10 . Hazing scandal's ripple effect . 2023-07-17 . POLITICO . en.
  38. Web site: Mercado . Melody . 2024-02-01 . The Strokes Playing Chicago Show To Benefit Kina Collins Campaign . 2024-03-09 . Block Club Chicago . en-US.

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