A social justice advocate, energy and climate change trailblazer, and accomplished legislator, Nancy Skinner recently completed three terms in the State Assembly representing the East Bay cities along the I-80 corridor from Hercules to Oakland. Skinner currently teaches public policy at UC Berkeley, focused on policy interventions to address poverty and income inequality. She also serves as a Senior Policy fellow at UC Davis’s Energy and Transportation Institutes.

In the Assembly, Skinner served as Chair of three key committees: Budget, Rules and Natural Resources. As Budget Chair she oversaw the largest funding boost to childcare and preschool in over a decade; increased state support to our State University and UC systems, cut the number of juveniles incarcerated in state facilities by half, and established a new dedicated fund to reduce prison recidivism.

Skinner took on the Gun Lobby, successfully passing two groundbreaking gun violence prevention measures. To get corporations to pay their fair share, Skinner authored the bill that requires Amazon and other internet retailers to collect sales tax which is now bringing close to a $1 billion a year in new revenue to support vital services for California families. An environmental and climate protection champion, Skinner carried measures that doubled rooftop solar and renewable energy.

A graduate of UC Berkeley with a BS and an MA, Skinner co-founded the labor union representing graduate student instructors and was a leader in the UC South Africa Divestment movement.

Ms. Skinner began her public service in 1984 as the first and only student to be elected to the Berkeley City Council. On Council Skinner introduced the nation’s first Styrofoam ban and co-founded an international association of cities, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. After her term on the City Council, Skinner served as Executive Director of ICLEI’s US office and International Director of ICLEI’s Cities for Climate Protection program which engaged cities worldwide to take action to stop climate change.

Skinner is a past member of the East Bay Regional Park District Board, a former small business owner and an advocate to increase women in elected office. She served on the Board of the East Bay Women’s Political Caucus and launched the statewide Women in Power Pac (WIP Pac) to support Democratic women.

Skinner and her husband, a retired city employee, are 40 year residents of Berkeley, her daughter Sirona and her wife, Sinead, live in Richmond. Three of Skinner’s eight brothers and sisters also live in the East Bay along with many nieces and nephews.

Sandré R. Swanson served three successful terms as a Member of the California State Assembly. He was the Chair of the Assembly Labor & Employment Committee and was a vocal advocate for growing the middle class with sustainable jobs. Mr. Swanson also served on the Assembly Budget Committee, Sub-committee on Education Finance; Assembly Committee

on Utilities and Commerce and was the Speaker’s Appointee to the State Workforce Investment Board.

Mr. Swanson is passionate about the plight of troubled and at-risk youth.
As Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color, his committee’s work is widely used by the State today in its strategies for assisting young people. As a result of this work, in 2014 Mr. Swanson was invited to the White House by President Barack Obama and was requested to participate in the President's “My Brothers Keepers “ initiatives.

During his tenure in the Assembly, Mr. Swanson passed landmark legislation dealing with the atrocities of human trafficking—which he calls “modern day slavery.” His legislative work assisted with the development of programs for job training, housing and counseling for the victims of human trafficking—some as young as 12 years old. Several of his laws are prominently referenced on the California Attorney General’s web site. District Attorney offices are using these laws across our State to successfully prosecute human trafficking criminals in California today.

Following his work in the legislature, Mr. Swanson served as Deputy Mayor for the city of Oakland, California.
He worked successfully on growing the City's economy by developing small businesses and jobs. Before his election to the California State Assembly, Mr. Swanson served five years as Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Before that, he worked for 25 years as the District Director and Senior Policy Advisor for Congressman Ronald V. Dellums. He also served as Chair of the Alameda County Employee’s Retirement Association, Chair of the Oakland Civil Service Commission, and Chair of the Oakland Re-Use and Redevelopment Authority.

Early key endorsements of his campaign for the California Senate include key legislators currently representing the people of the 9th Senate district. They include the incumbent, Senator Loni Hancock, Assemblymember Rob Bonta, Assemblymember Tony Thurman and his campaigns Honorary Chair, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and more.

Mr. Swanson is a native of Oakland he and his wife Anita have four children and five grandchildren. 

The record will show, that as Chair of the Labor and Employment Committee and Member of the Assembly Budget Committee on Education, I worked hard to make Education California’s top budgetary priority. That
is why the California Teachers Association (CTA) and The California School Employees Association (CSEA) have endorsed me for the State Senate. I was the leader in the fight to keep Redevelopment Agencies for affordable and senior housing because we are in a housing affordability crisis and I passed laws to reduce neighborhood crime.

I led the fight to keep the “Healthy Family Program” that provided healthcare for 740,000 poor children—
and I worked for a healthy environment. The California Nurses Association (CNA) and the Union of American Physicians and Dentists support my record and have joined our campaign. I was the leader in the Assembly on protecting your pensions and retirement security. The Teamsters, SEIU, and AFSCME working families agree and are on our team. I am committed to student loan debt relief and have sponsored environmental justice efforts to stop the spraying of pesticides near schools, to stop illegal dumping in our community and support green jobs and wetland restoration. Our first responders, the City of Alameda and Oakland/Alameda County Firefighters have also endorsed me for State Senate.

I proudly led the State’s efforts to rescue our children from Human Traffickers—some children as young as 12 years old and I increased funding for wrap-around services for our most at-risk youth. I supported small business loans in underserved communities to increase employment opportunities and have been an advocate for Equal Rights and Civil Rights for everyone.

During the budget battles of the recession, I challenged those in leadership to keep the social safety net for the poor, the disabled, seniors and children.

That’s why I’m running for State Senate.

Sandré R. Swanson 

Candidate, California State Senate, 9th District 

Katherine Welch is a long-time leader with Educate Our State, a statewide organization of tens of thousands of parents and other community members committed to improving California’s public schools. 

She is pro-choice, and is an advocate for children and families, racial justice, civil rights, the formerly incarcerated, veterans, the homeless, the environment, labor, immigrants, and the LGBT community. She believes we must demand transparency and accountability from our government, political campaigns and public servants. When we advocate for our most vulnerable populations, our whole community comes out ahead - from more robust mental health services, to housing and job training.

The California public school system’s increasing and long-standing financial struggles led Katherine to ask the question, “Why does California, the 8^th largest economy in the world, have one of the worst funded school systems in the country?” Her answer was to join Educate Our State, to challenge the status quo and demand transparency, accountability and funding to improve our schools.

Since 2011, with Katherine’s work with Educate our State, and her advocacy in Sacramento, she observed that you don’t have to be a politician to run for office. She also realized that children, who do not vote nor do they have a wealthy interest group representing them, have no voice - and our state pays dearly when it does not take care of its youngest citizens. She realized her unique background and passion to improve our schools is just what is needed in Sacramento. She has never run for any office. Until now.

Katherine has a background in corporate finance and business management and gained valuable real-world experience working with both Silicon Valley start-ups and publicly-traded companies.

In the mid-1990’s Katherine joined Summerbridge National (now Breakthrough Collaborative) as the Associate Director. Summerbridge offers urban, under-served middle school students the opportunity to participate in academic enrichment programs in preparation for college, and offers high school and college students the opportunity to teach.

Katherine also served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for several years. A CASA is a guardian ad litem, a liaison between the providers of legal, social and therapy services and the dependent children in the legal system. A CASA also spends time with these children, similar to a big sister.

I believe in the 'trickle up' theory - that when we provide security to the most vulnerable among us, they are better able to thrive, contribute, and provide stability to their family and community.

Rich has served as Police Chaplain, Richmond High School Basketball and Tennis Coach, started Neighborhood Watch groups, is a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) Member, and has organized many community outreaches and  Parades jointly with other Churches, as well as organized Annual National Day of Prayer activities in his City. Rich was elected to the City Council in 2012, served two years on the League of California Cities' Housing and Economic Development Policy Committee, along with many other tasks, as well as attending the monthly Contra Costa Mayors Conference and the West County Mayors and Supervisors Group. He ran for the State Assembly in 2014 and came in 4th place in a field of 8 candidates. His Party rewarded his valiant efforts by welcoming him as a delegate and selected him to serve on the Platform Committee where he was instrumental in protecting the Traditional Marriage plank while supporting same sex couples' equal rights and privileges under the current laws. Rich also initiated the new plank of Freedom of Religion to be restored to CaGOP 2016 State Platform which Chairman Jim Brulte carried successfully through the floor at the Convention and saw it overwhelmingly approved. 

I'm running for the state Senate because I want to

• More better paying jobs with benefits and retirement options
• Reduce Traffic congestion on our Freeways - Extend BART to Crockett
• Improve Education for all and Increase Career Technical Education
• Support Public Safety, Veterans, Elderly, Physically and Mentally Challenged, etc.

I believe in

• Free Enterprise
• Limited Government
• Indiviual Liberty
• Traditional American Values
• A Strong National Defense