Adena Ishii
Adena Ishii (c.1990[1]) is mayor elect of Berkeley, California[2][3] She is the first Asian American and woman of color to be elected to the position.[2][3]
Personal life
[edit]Ishii grew up in Agoura Hills, California.[2] She has two sisters and her parents worked in the film industry.[2] Some of Ishii’s Japanese American relatives were incarcerated during World War II in internment camps due to Executive Order 9066.[1]
Ishii has one daughter and is married to Andrew Kitirattragarn.[4][5]
Education and Early Career
[edit]Ishii attended Berkeley City College in 2009.[2] She later transferred to and graduated from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.[2] She worked for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.[2] She later received a law degree from Santa Clara University with a law degree.[2] Ishii worked as a nonprofit education consultant[6][7] Ishii was the Voter Services Director for the Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville League of Women Voters chapter[8] and later became the president.[6][7] She held the president position from 2017-2019 and was the first woman of color to hold this position and was also the youngest person to hold this position.[1]
2024 Campaign
[edit]Ishii ran in the 2024 Berkeley mayoral race against Sophie Hahn and Katie Harrison, former District 4 City Council member.[9] Ishii’s campaign manager was Cydney Chilimidos.[4]
Ishii’s campaign utilized Berkeley’s public financing program that limited individual contributions up to $60 but matched those individual contributions at a 6-1 ratio.[9]
During her 2024 campaign, Ishii ran on building more affordable housing and supporting mental health resources.[7] She received several organizational endorsements during her 2024 campaign, including from the Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County (APADC),[10] Housing Action Coalition,[11] Berkley Democratic Club,[12] East Bay for Everyone,[13] Run for Something,[14] East Bay YIMBY,[15] and Gun Sense Voter.[16] She also received an endorsement from Barry Fike, the former president of Berkeley Federation of Teachers.[17][4]
On November 20, 2024, Ishii’s opponent Sophie Hahn conceded the race.[4]
Ishii will be sworn into office privately on December 6, 2024 and will be sworn in again at her first City Council Meeting on December 10, 2024.[18]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Veltman, Chloe (2020-08-20). "How Student Adena Ishii Made History With the League of Women Voters | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Savidge, Nico (2024-11-23). "How political outsider Adena Ishii upended the Berkeley mayor's race". Berkeleyside. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ a b "Adena Ishii takes victory as first woman of color to be Berkeley's mayor | KTVU FOX 2". www.ktvu.com. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ a b c d Savidge, Nico (2024-11-21). "Adena Ishii wins Berkeley mayor's race". Berkeleyside. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "About". Adena Ishii for Berkeley Mayor 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ a b Ravani, Sarah (2024-10-31). "Amid toxic turn in Berkeley politics, voters set to choose Arreguín's successor as mayor". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ a b c Ravani, Sarah (2024-11-21). "Berkeley's next mayor is a City Hall outsider who promises 'reset' and unity". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with Team LWV! | League of Women Voters". www.lwv.org. 2021-05-24. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ a b Staff, Ayah Ali-Ahmad | Senior (2024-11-20). "Adena Ishii declares victory in Berkeley mayoral race". www.dailycal.org. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Endorsed Candidates for North Alameda County, November 2024 General Election".
- ^ Coalition, Housing Action (2024-07-31). "November 2024 Election Endorsements". Housing Action Coalition. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Berkley Democratic Club 2024 Local Endorsements" (PDF).
- ^ Sagehorn, Derek. "EB4E Fall 2024 Endorsements | East Bay for Everyone". Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Adena Ishii". Run For Something. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "November 2024 Voter Guide". East Bay YIMBY. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Stories". Gun Sense Voter. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ Fike, Barry (2024-10-17). "Opinion: Adena Ishii is the best choice for Berkeley mayor". Berkeleyside. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ Staff, Emewodesh Eshete | Senior (2024-11-26). "Ishii sets her sights on collaboration and transparency as Berkeley's next mayor". www.dailycal.org. Retrieved 2024-11-27.