Buffy Wicks
Buffy Jo Christina Wicks (born August 10, 1977) is an American politician who serves in the California State Assembly. A Democrat, she represents the 15th Assembly District, which encompasses the cities of Berkeley, Emeryville, Richmond, and parts of the City of Oakland in the East Bay. Prior to being elected to the State Assembly, she was an American political strategist who is credited as one of the architects of President Barack Obama's grassroots organizing model. She also served on the senior staff of Obama's 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns, and as Deputy Director at the White  House Office of Public Engagement. Wicks was first elected to the State Assembly in November 2018 after beating Richmond City Councilmember Jovanka Beckles, a fellow Democrat. Background. Born in Foresthill, California in 1977, Wicks graduated from Placer High School in 1995. She graduated from the University of Washington in 1999 with a B.A. degree in political science and history. In 2000, she began a two-year program for an International Master in Peace, Conflict, and Development Studies (PEACE Master) of the Universitat Jaume I (UJI), Castellón, Spain, under the UNESCO Chair of Philosophy for Peace, but left in 2001 and  did not complete the degree. Career. Wicks has worked in the labor movement, on women's issues, and as a children's rights advocate. Wicks's started her political career in the early 2000s in the San Francisco Bay Area by organizing rallies against the Iraq War. She then worked on the unsuccessful 2004 presidential campaign of Howard Dean. As one of the early hires on the 2008 presidential campaign for Barack Obama, Wicks was active in grassroots mobilization and outcome-based organizing. She ran various state operations during the primaries and general election, including in California, Texas and Missouri . Wicks was then tapped by President Obama to serve in the Executive Office of the President as the Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. From 2010 to 2011, Wicks "served as Rahm Emanuel’s campaign manager in early months of campaign and developed core strategy and positioning in race as well as early infrastructure." In 2012, she joined President Obama's re-election effort and served as the National Director of Operation Vote. She was responsible for mobilizing voters in demographic groups including African American, Latino, women, and the youth. From 2014 to 2015, Wicks transitioned  the super PAC Priorities USA Action into a pro-Hillary Clinton vehicle and served as its executive director. In 2016, Wicks was named the California State director by Clinton's presidential campaign in advance of the June 7 primary. Wicks previously worked as the political director of "Wake Up Wal-Mart", a United Food and Commercial Worker-funded movement. She was a fellow at Institute of Politics and Public Policy at Georgetown University and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress focusing on public policies affecting women and families. Wicks has published opinion editorials for "Time", "Politico", and  the "Daily Beast" on current political events. She also gives regular speeches in the United States and abroad on organizing, leadership, women's issues, and the state of American politics. California State Assembly race. In 2017, Wicks declared herself a candidate for the 2018 California State Assembly election, running for the 15th district. The seat was vacated by Tony Thurmond, who ran for California State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Wicks's opponents in the race included Oakland City Councilman Dan Kalb and Richmond City Councilwoman Jovanka Beckles. In the primary held on June 5, Wicks finished first with 31.4% of  the vote. In the general election on November 6, Wicks won with 56% of the vote to Beckles's 44%. First State Assembly term. On August 31, 2020 (the final day of the legislative session), Wicks, having been previously denied the right to vote by proxy, appeared on the floor of the State Assembly holding her crying newborn baby while speaking in favor of passing housing legislation. This incident earned Wicks international attention, sparking a discussion in the media on how she might use her newfound reputation to advocate for expanding family leave protections in the United States. Meena Harris , Hillary Clinton, and others took to social media to congratulate and encourage Wicks. She is now running for her second term endorsed by powerhouses such as Facebook millionaire Giselle Hale. Controversies. Wicks sponsored an bill that would require all workers in California to be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccines. The Bill was "postponed" after the bill faced stiff opposition from labor unions as the Omicron variant crested in the heavily vaccinated state. Wicks generated controversy with AB 2223, a bill that was characterized by Pro Life commentators as "the most extreme anti-life bill California has ever seen, essentially legalizing  infanticide."