Kesha Ram

Kesha Ram (born August 2, 1986) is an American politician who served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 2009 to 2016. She represented the Chittenden-6-4 District, which encompasses the Hill Section and University of Vermont in the City of Burlington. In her early career, she was the youngest member of the House of Representatives and the youngest legislator serving at the time nationally. She is still the youngest Indian American to ever serve in state elected office. In 2016, she finished third in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont.[1] In 2020, Ram finished second in the Democratic primary race for the six State Senate seats from Chittenden County, advancing to the general election.[2] In the November general election, she was one of five Democrats elected to the State Senate, along with one Progressive. She is great-great-granddaughter of Sir Ganga Ram.[3]

Kesha Ram
Member of the Vermont Senate from Chittenden County's at-large district
Assumed office
January 6, 2021
Preceded byTim Ashe, Philip Baruth, Debbie Ingram, Virginia V. Lyons, Christopher Pearson, Michael Sirotkin
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
from the Chittenden-6-4 district
In office
January 7, 2009 – May 11, 2016
Preceded byChristopher Pearson
Succeeded bySelene Colburn
Personal details
Born (1986-08-02) August 2, 1986
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Jacob Hinsdale (engaged)
ResidenceBurlington, Vermont
Alma materUniversity of Vermont
WebsiteCampaign website

Early life and education

Born to a Jewish mother and Hindu father,[4] Ram grew up in Los Angeles, California, where her parents ran an Irish pub.[5] Sir Ganga Ram, her great-great-grandfather, was a supervising engineer and philanthropist in British India and her aunt is Baroness Shreela Flather, life peer in the British House of Lords. She graduated from Santa Monica High School in 2004. After graduating, she moved from California to Vermont to attend the University of Vermont, where she graduated magna cum laude in 2008 with a BS in Natural Resource Planning and a BA in Political Science. She was awarded a Truman Scholarship. While at the University of Vermont she served as student body president. Her first elected position was as Student Council President in fifth grade.[6] Ram obtained a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2018.[7]

Professional career

She has served as the legal director for Women Helping Battered Women (now known as Steps to End Domestic Violence).[8][9] Much of her work has centered on advocacy for people of color and immigrants in Vermont. She served as the public engagement specialist for the City of Burlington Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO)[10] and interim director for Organizational Development at the Center for Whole Communities. She is currently on the boards of the Center for Whole Communities, Emerge Vermont, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, and the Vermont Natural Resources Council.[11]

Political career

Elected to the state House of Representatives at age 22 to represent the University District and Hill Section of Burlington, she represented the district from 2009 to 2016. She served as Clerk of the House General, Housing, and Affairs Committee from 2009 to 2011. She served as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee from 2011 to 2015. She served as the Vice Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee from 2015 to 2016. She led efforts to establish Abenaki tribal recognition, to create driver's privilege cards available to undocumented immigrants, to criminalize revenge porn[12] and stalking, to establish energy siting standards, and to expand first-time homeownership tax credits.

On October 11, 2015, Ram announced her run for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont.[13] The incumbent, Republican Phil Scott, had earlier announced that he would run for governor. On October 26, 2015, Ram held a campaign kickoff in Burlington that was attended by many House colleagues and former Governor Madeleine Kunin.[14] She was endorsed by U.S. Representatives Ami Bera and Annie McLane Kuster,[11] as well as Democracy for America. She came in third in the primary, behind House Speaker Shap Smith and the winner, Senator David Zuckerman.

In 2020, Ram ran for the Vermont Senate.[2] In the primary, she finished second in the contest for the six at-large seats from Chittenden County.[2] In the November general election, she finished third, and was one of five Democrats elected to the State Senate, along with one Progressive.[15]

Family

As of January 2021, Ram is engaged to Jacob Hinsdale, with their wedding planned for August 2021.[16] Sir Ganga Ram was Ram's great-great-grandfather.[3]

References
  1. DeSmet, Nicole Higgins (9 August 2016). "Zuckerman wins race for Dems lt. governor". Burlington Free Press. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  2. Condos, Jim. "Vermont Election Night Results". electionresults.vermont.gov. Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  3. "Sir Ganga Ram's descendant Kesha Ram celebrates US senate seat in salwar kameez to show the way".
  4. Grossman, Karl (August 18, 2013). "Jewish and Hindu — Vermont's Youngest State Representative". The Times of Israel. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  5. "Sir Ganga Ram's descendant running for US state's top post".
  6. Cloke, Susan (September 24, 2009). "Hometown Hero: Kesha Ram, Member, Vermont House of Representatives". Santa Monica Mirror. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  7. Kesha Ram
  8. http://www.whbw.org accessdate=May 30, 2017/
  9. Thornton, Amy. "Legislator Kesha Ram: Going for the Heavy Lifts". Vermont Woman. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  10. Wisloski, Jess (October 27, 2015). "Ram Leaving Burlington City Government". Vermont Journalism Trust. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  11. Albanese, Giovanni (March 10, 2016). "Kesha Ram Hoping to Shape Vermont's Future as Next Lieutenant Governor". India-West. India-West Publications, Inc. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  12. Achen, Paris (June 17, 2015). "Revenge porn criminalized under new VT law". Burlington Free Press. Gannett Company. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  13. Heintz, Paul (October 12, 2015). "Kesha Ram to Run for Lieutenant Governor". Seven Days. Da Capo Publishing. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  14. Heintz, Paul (October 26, 2015). "At Campaign Kickoff, Kesha Ram Says She's No 'Kitten With Lipstick'". Seven Days. Da Capo Publishing. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  15. Syed, Maleeha (November 4, 2020). "Kesha Ram becomes first woman of color in Vermont Senate: Here's what to know". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT.
  16. "Kesha & Jacob: Here is some of what to expect for our wedding weekend". Zola.com. New York, NY: Zola, Inc. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
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