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Pramila Jayapal

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Pramila Jayapal
Pramila Jayapal, 2015
Member of the Washington Senate
from the 37th legislative district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 12, 2015 (2015-01-12)
Preceded byAdam Kline
Personal details
Born (1965-09-21) September 21, 1965 (age 59)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseSteve Williamson
ChildrenJanak Preston
Residence(s)Columbia City, Seattle, Washington
Alma materGeorgetown University (B.A.)
Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University (M.B.A.)
ProfessionFinancial analyst
Activist
Author
WebsiteOfficial

Pramila Jayapal (born September 21, 1965) is an Indian-American politician. A Democrat, she has represented the 37th legislative district in the Washington State Senate since 2015. Before her election she was a Seattle-based civil rights activist, serving until 2012 as the founder and executive director of OneAmerica, a pro-immigration advocacy group.[1]

In January 2016, Jayapal declared her candidacy for Congress in Washington's 7th congressional district, after Congressman Jim McDermott announced his retirement.[2] She lives in Washington's 9th congressional district.

Early life and education

Jayapal was born in India and raised in Indonesia and Singapore.[3] She came to the United States in 1982, at the age of 16, to attend college. She earned her bachelor's degree from Georgetown University, and an MBA from Northwestern University.[1]

Advocacy work

Jayapal founded Hate Free Zone after the September 11 attacks in 2001 as an advocacy group for Arab, Muslim, and South Asian Americans. Hate Free Zone registered new American citizens to vote and lobbied on immigration reform and related issues. The group changed its name to OneAmerica in 2008.[4][5] Jayapal stepped down from her leadership position in May 2012. A year later, she was recognized by the White House as a "Champion of Change" for her work on behalf of the immigrant community.[6]

Politics

After State Senator Adam Kline announced his retirement in early 2014, Jayapal was one of several Democrats to enter the race to succeed him. She was endorsed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray.[4] She won more than 51% of the vote in Washington's open primary on August 5, 2014, out of a field of six candidates.[7] She went on to defeat fellow Democrat Louis Watanabe in November.[8]

In January 2016, Jayapal declared her candidacy for Congress in Washington's 7th congressional district, after Congressman Jim McDermott announced his retirement.[2] In April, she received an endorsement from Bernie Sanders, which doubled the number of contributors to her campaign.[9] On August 2, 2016, she finished first in the "top two" primary, advancing to the general election in November.[10]

Personal life

Jayapal became a U.S. citizen in 2000.[5] She is the author of Pilgrimage: One Woman's Return to a Changing India, published in March 2000.[11][12]

Jayapal lives in the Seattle neighborhood of Columbia City with her husband Steve and their son.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Pramila's Story". Pramila Jayapal for State Senate. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Connelly, Joel (January 21, 2016). "Pramila Jayapal enters U.S. House race with blast at 'the 1 percent'". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  3. ^ "About". Pramila Jayapal. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Turnbull, Lornet (March 10, 2014). "Seattle activist Pramila Jayapal seeks state Senate seat". Seattle Times. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Shephard, Aria (June 30, 2008). "Hate Free Zone gets new name, OneAmerica, With Justice for All". Seattle Times. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  6. ^ "Seattle woman honored as 'Champion of Change' at White House". KING5. May 6, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  7. ^ "Pramila Jayapal wins six-candidate primary race for WA state senate". Nri Pulse. August 13, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  8. ^ "Democrats trailing in state Senate races". Seattle Times. November 5, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  9. ^ Beekman, Daniel (July 6, 2016). "Boost from Bernie Sanders plays into Seattle race for Congress". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  10. ^ Jayapal advances to November ballot in 7th Congressional District race, Seattle Times, Daniel Beekman & Lynn Thompson, August 2, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  11. ^ "Nonfiction Book Review: Pilgrimage: One Woman's Return to a Changing India by Pramila Jayapal, Author Seal Press (CA) $22.95 (288p) ISBN 978-1-58005-032-6". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  12. ^ Stephen, David (June 25, 2001). "Pramila Jayapal talks about her book Pilgrimage: One Woman's Return to a Changing India". indiatoday.intoday.in. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
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