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Los Angeles County, CA March 3, 2015 Election
Smart Voter Full Biography for Bobbie Jean "Bobbie Jean" Anderson

Candidate for
Council Member; City of Los Angeles; District 8

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This information is provided by the candidate

About Bobbie Jean Anderson

In 1989, when Caltrans imposed eminent domain and attempted to force local residents out of their homes for freeway expansion, Bobbie Jean forged a one-woman door-to-door campaign. A community that once considered itself powerless and disenfranchised found a new leader in Bobbie Jean.

She led 150 homeowners to demand fair treatment and just compensation for their property. Bobbie Jean joined forces with then Assemblywoman Maxine Waters to organize homeowners to fight back.

After two years of hard work and organizing, then Governor George Deukmejian issued a moratorium against the bad faith dealings and forced Caltrans to meet weekly with the homeowners and each affected resident received relocation costs and fair-market value for their homes and the appropriate relocation benefits for tenants.

Never one to shy away from fighting for the community, Bobbie Jean worked alongside Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Councilmember Bernard Parks on redistricting. Bobbie Jean was appointed by Councilman Bernard Parks to the Redistricting Commission in 2012 and diligently fought to preserve assets for the 8th District. As a direct result of her work on the Commission, a lawsuit seeking to reclaim much-needed resources for South Los Angeles is currently in court. It is because of Bobbie Jean's notable work on critical social justice issues that both Congresswoman Waters and Councilman Parks have endorsed her candidacy.

Bobbie Jean is a long-time labor activist with SEIU 660 Local 721. Bobbie Jean retired after 40 years of service with the County of Los Angeles-25 years in the Public Defender's Office-having lead several successful pilot programs including the establishment of an on-the-job training and internship program that developed high school students for long-term careers with the Public Defender's Office. During a time of hiring freezes and budget cuts, Bobbie Jean was honored for her "innovative and out of the box thinking" that helped the Public Defender's Office meet critical employment needs. . She later served as Field Representative for Assemblymember Mike Davis from 2006 through 2009, where she worked to address constituent concerns as well as quality-of-life matters in the 48th Assembly District.

In 1995, after being asked to attend the White House Crime Briefing, Bobbie Jean was appointed to President Bill Clinton's Criminal Justice Taskforce. She was subsequently appointed to the Los Angeles Police Commission Permit Review Panel. Bobbie Jean continues her work in Criminal Justice as the Chair of the Black Women's Forum Criminal Justice Task Force, where she works on programs that support prisoner re-entry and focus women serving time in prisons.

Bobbie Jean is serving her fifth term as Vice-Chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. In 1991, Bobbie Jean was appointed by Congresswoman Waters to serve on the Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) and has since been reelected to serve 10 additional terms. She is also a member of the DSCC Executive Board.

Since 1992, she has been elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions supporting the Democratic Presidential Nominations of: President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Senator John Kerry and President Barack Obama.

In 2001, she was appointed to the Commission on the Status of Women by Mayor James Hahn. As a Commissioner, she and others led the fight against human trafficking throughout the State of California.

Bobbie Jean is a five-term member of the County Central Committee, was a three-time 48th Assembly District Chair of the DSCC, served as the Treasurer of the African-American Caucus of the California Democratic Party and continues to serve on the Legislative/Affirmative Action Standing Committee.

Bobbie Jean was elected President of the New Frontier Democratic Club (founded in 1960), which is the oldest and largest African American Democratic Club in California. She has served for three terms from 1999 to 2002. During her second term, she collaborated with Al Austin to organize the New Frontier Young Democratic Club. She is currently a Trustee and serves as Publicity Chair of New Frontier.

In 2013, Governor Jerry Brown appointed Bobbie Jean to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, where she currently serves as a State Commissioner. Bobbie Jean is committed to creating vocational training and career-path employment opportunities in California.

Bobbie Jean has always been passionate about the plight of victims of domestic violence and has served on the board of the Jenesse Center Domestic Violence and Intervention Program, where she has been a volunteer for over 20 years.

Bobbie Jean Anderson has lived in Los Angeles most of her life, including 25 years in the 8th District. She graduated from Fremont High School and after completing a course of study at the Downey Court Reporting School, was certified by the National Shorthand Reporters Association as a Certified Shorthand Reporter.

Bobbie Jean has received many commendations for her community service including twice being awarded LA County Democratic Party Democrat of the Year, the Jenesse Center "Silver Rose Award" for her work with Domestic Violence Victims, a Lifetime Achievement Award by SEIU Local 721 and "Image of Excellence Award" by Mu Lambda Omega Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., just to name a few.

She is the proud parent of one son, Andy, two grandchildren, Anthony and Desiree and one great granddaughter, Jailyn. Bobbie Jean is a member of Greater Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church.

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: January 9, 2015 18:04
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