Kim Siever

Kim Siever (born September 5, 1973) is an activist, artist, and independent journalist in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. He has advocated on various social issues within Lethbridge and abroad, including police violence, cycling infrastructure, harm reduction, citizen journalism, municipal and provincial politics, labour, and community building. Siever was editor-in-chief of citizen journalism website Lethbridge News between 2010 and 2013, lead correspondent for Elect Lethbridge during the same period, and now runs his own independent news site. He ran for a seat on Lethbridge City Council in Lethbridge City Council#2001 election|2001. He has contributed to the local arts community through volunteering, theatre, and exhibits.
== Early life ==
Siever was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan but grew up in Regina and Abbotsford, Abbotsford. He graduated from the Lethbridge College in 2001 with a multimedia production diploma, and he received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Lethbridge in 2013 (major in dramatic arts, minor in French).
== Community activism ==
Siever has advocated for various social issues within Lethbridge and abroad. As a result, his commentary has been used by the media on various social issues, including police violence, cycling infrastructure, harm reduction, citizen journalism, municipal and provincial politics, labour, and community building.
He has volunteered with various committees and boards in the community, including as president of the Southern Alberta New Media Association, chair of the community arts centre steering committee, vice-president of the Allied Arts Council, director with BikeBridge Cycling Association, president of the London Road Neighbourhood Association,, and vice-chair of the Galt Museum & Archives|Galt Museum board of directors. 
He appeared in the 2020 documentary Community Consumed. He is a member of the Edmonton General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World|IWW.
== Journalism ==
Siever’s journalism started in junior high, when he was on the editorial team for his school newspaper. He was also a writer for the newspaper at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School|his high school.
He got his start in local media as the founder and editor-in-chief of Lethbridge News, a citizen journalism website, in 2010. He was also a lead correspondent with Elect Lethbridge, another local citizen journalism website, but one focused on politics. In April 2020, he started his own independent news outlet, Kim Siever News. In 2013, former mayor Rajko Dodic threatened to Strategic lawsuit against public participation|sue Siever for a story he wrote for Elect Lethbridge regarding donations Dodic accepted during as part of his 2010 Lethbridge municipal election|2010 municipal election campaign. 
Siever has also written for ArtsBridge Magazine, Lethbridge Herald, Alberta Views Magazine, and The Progress Report.
== Political career ==
In August 2001, Siever announced that he was running for a seat on Lethbridge city council. His platform included public transit, council accountability, and diverse economic development, including establishing an economic development authority. He was 1 of 35 candidates running for the 8 city council seats that year.
== Artistic work ==
Siever has contributed to the local arts community. He served on the board of directors with the Allied Arts Council (2001–2003, 2008–2014), including terms as treasurer and vice-present, as well as the chair of the community arts centre steering committee, as mentioned above. 
He has a dramatic arts degree from the University of Lethbridge, and he has acted in three stage productions and three independent films, as well as directed one stage production.
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes	Ref(s)
2007	Living Proof 	Edwin Dering	 	
2011	The Necklace 	Store owner 	 	
2012	House of Hobbes	Calvin 	 	
=== Theatre ===
Year	Production 	Role 	Theater 	Ref(s)
2004	Impromptu 	Ernest 	University of Lethbridge 	
2004	Papers 	Martin Edwards	University of Lethbridge 	
2012	A Midsummer Night's Dream	Thesus 	Shakespeare in the Park, Lethbridge 	
2014	The Busy Signal 	director 	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Lethbridge	
=== Exhibitions ===
Siever exhibited his artistic work in “Facets and Facades”, a photography showcase that ran April through May 2011 in the Waterfield Gallery of Genevieve E. Yates Memorial Centre. His photography has been used in countless news stories throughout Canada, Europe, and the United States, including through such outlets as Bicycling Magazine, Business Insider, Buzzfeed, HGTV Canada, PBS, and The Atlantic. 
== Personal life ==
Siever married Mary Siever in 1995 in Seattle. They moved to Lethbridge from Vancouver in 1998. They have 6 children. Siever is an active Mormons|Mormon and is also queer.
Category:Canadian activists
Category:Canadian artists
Category:Canadian journalists