Candidate for Lieutenant Governor to speak at Monday's Democratic luncheon
Kimi Cole, former chair of Douglas County Democratic Party and current Chair of the Rural Nevada Democratic Caucus, will speakat Monday's Democratic luncheon. She became chair of Douglas Democrats in March 2013 and served four terms in that position. She was the first Democratic candidate to formally announce a bid for the lieutenant governorship, and if successful will be the first transgender candidate elected to statewide office in the whole of the United States.
Kimi moved to Reno with her family in 1956, where she grew up attending local public schools, TMCC and UNR. In 1990 a business venture drew her to the Carson Valley, where she has lived and worked ever since. She has three adult children and seven grandchildren. On her adventurous side, she earned a reputation as a professional motocross racer, Hobie Cat racer, bungee jumper, and skydiver.
In 2009, after undergoing gender transition, Kimi was sometimes subjected to harsh and disrespectful treatment, simply for being "different." She says "the lights went on" as it became clear how harsh the world could be for those who don't neatly fit in. The realization that too many people experience such treatment on a regular basis compelled Kimi's decision to get off the sidelines, so she became politically active with a number of community organizations and progressive groups. She also became heavily involved with Organizing for America and the 2012 Obama reelection campaign.
Lobbying the Nevada Legislature in 2013, Kimi played a key role in the successful effort to have "gender identity or expression" added as a protected group in Nevada's Hate Crime Law. In 2015 she organized a bipartisan effort that stopped the infamous "Bathroom Bill" in its tracks. Ms. Cole has presented a TEDx talk illuminating the lived experience of gender dysphoria and has been recognized in numerous statewide and national publications for her work in this area.
Under Cole's leadership, the Rural Nevada Democratic Caucus pioneered Zoom town halls starting in 2019, an initiative that brought top presidential candidates to rural Nevada for the first time. In times past, candidate visits to rural areas were either non-existent or little more than a wave to the crowd. This virtual outreach has expanded rural connections and increased grassroots involvement that paid dividends in the 2020 elections.
Sponsored by the Democratic Men's Committee, this event is scheduled for 1:00 PM on Monday, February 21st, and can be attended either in person at Black Bear Diner, inside Max Casino, or online via Zoom. Those wishing to be on distribution for Zoom links should email Rich Dunn, Men's Committee Events Coordinator, at richdunn@aol.com.