{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Short description|American activist (born 1991)}} {{Infobox politician |name = Kina Collins |image = Profile of Kina Collins, May 2019.jpg |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|3|8}} |birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |education = Carthage College (attended)<br>Louisiana State University (BA) |party = Democratic |website = {{url|kinacollinsil.com|Official website}} }} '''Kina Isis Collins'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/480/202105319447492480/202105319447492480.pdf|title=FEC Form 2: Statement of Candidacy|date=May 31, 2021|access-date=October 14, 2021|website=Federal Election Commission}}</ref> is an American community organizer and activist, whose work has focused on issues of gun control, criminal justice reform, and universal healthcare.<ref name="imdb">{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm10791756/bio|title=Kina Collins|website=IMDb|access-date=July 3, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2vUTReK|title=LIGHTFOOT's Council challenge — TRUDEAU hits Chicago — Activist will face DANNY DAVIS|last1=Kapos|first1=Shia|last2=Hurst|first2=Adrienne|website=POLITICO|date=May 13, 2019 |language=en|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref> Collins was a candidate in the Democratic primary for the United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois for Illinois's 7th congressional district, and was previously a primary candidate for the same seat in the 2020 and 2022 elections, winning 13.8% and 45.6% of the vote respectively.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Kina_Collins|title=Kina Collins|website=Ballotpedia|language=en|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://kinaforcongress.com/meet-kina-1|title=Meet Kina|website=Kina Collins for Congress|language=en-US|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web|last=Marans|first=Daniel|date=June 1, 2021|title=Progressive Activist Kina Collins Announces Primary Against Rep. Danny Davis|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kina-collins-progressive-primary-challenge-danny-davis_n_60b56cc3e4b06da8bd7a2b4d|access-date=June 1, 2021|website=HuffPost|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web|last=Krieg|first=Gregory|date=June 1, 2021|title=Anti-gun-violence activist Kina Collins announces primary challenge to Illinois Democrat Danny Davis|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/01/politics/kina-collins-democratic-primary-danny-davis-illinois-justice-democrats/index.html|access-date=June 1, 2021|website=CNN}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Kapos |first=Shia |date=2023-07-10 |title=Hazing scandal's ripple effect |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2023/07/10/hazing-scandals-ripple-effect-00105387 |access-date=2023-07-17 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Collins was born and raised in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> She was a student in the Chicago Public Schools system, during which time she served as a Summer of Service Learning Ambassador.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://chicagonow.org/2018/09/28/meet-our-2018-woman-who-dared-kina-collins/|title=Meet our 2018 Woman Who Dared: Kina Collins|last=Chicago NOW|date=September 28, 2018|language=en-US|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref> She attended Carthage College and Louisiana State University, where she studied international political economy and sociology respectively.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/kina-collins-9a1103110/|title=Kina Collins {{!}} LinkedIn|last=Collins|first=Kina|website=LinkedIn|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref>
== Activism and career ==
=== Community organizing and non-profit work === From 2015 to 2017, Collins worked as a regional organizer from Louisiana for Generation Progress, a youth-centered research and advocacy group formed under the Center for American Progress.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://new.gp-stage.devprogress.org/press-listings/statement-generation-progress-fight4afuture-network-members-recent-police-shootings-alton-sterling-philando-castile/|title=STATEMENT: Generation Progress #Fight4AFuture Network Members on Recent Police Shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile|website=Generation Progress|language=en-US|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> During 2016–17, she was selected as a member of Generation Progress' #Fight4AFuture National Leadership Council, which developed campaigns on gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genprogress.org/press-listings/release-generation-progress-names-20-young-people-national-leadership-council-gun-violence-prevention-criminal-justice-reform/|title=RELEASE: Generation Progress Names 20 Young People to National Leadership Council for Gun Violence Prevention and Criminal Justice Reform|date=May 2, 2016|website=Generation Progress|language=en-US|access-date=June 19, 2019|archive-date=June 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619233420/https://genprogress.org/press-listings/release-generation-progress-names-20-young-people-national-leadership-council-gun-violence-prevention-criminal-justice-reform/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genprogress.org/meet-2016-2017-fight4afuture-national-leadership-council/|title=Meet The 2016-2017 #Fight4AFuture National Leadership Council|date=May 2, 2016|website=Generation Progress|language=en-US|access-date=June 19, 2019|archive-date=June 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619233421/https://genprogress.org/meet-2016-2017-fight4afuture-national-leadership-council/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2017, she founded an organization called the Chicago Neighborhood Alliance, with the goal of empowering activists to end gun violence in Chicago through civic engagement.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://skinlessproject.com/2018/06/07/inspirational-woman-june-kina-collins/|title=Inspirational Woman 2018: Kina Collins|date=June 7, 2018|website=skinlessproject.com|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2018/10/10/18484309/same-activists-who-won-justice-for-laquan-set-sights-on-city-council-races|title=Same activists who won justice for Laquan set sights on City Council races|last=Spielman|first=Fran|date=October 10, 2018|website=Chicago Sun-Times|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2018/11/21/18482620/domestic-violence-gun-control-in-spotlight-at-vigil-for-mercy-shooting-victims|title=Domestic violence, gun control in spotlight at vigil for Mercy shooting victims|last=Armentrout|first=Mitchell|date=November 21, 2018|website=Chicago Sun-Times|access-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref> From 2018 to 2019, she worked as a national organizer for Physicians for a National Health Program.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pnhp.org/about/board-of-directors-and-staff/|title=PNHP Board of Directors and Staff|website=PNHP|language=en-US|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> As of 2020, she serves as the Executive Director of the Gun Violence Prevention Education Center and Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, a statewide organization focused on gun violence prevention.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jones|first=Tia Carol|date=October 7, 2020|title=Organizer aspires for change in community and Congressional chambers|url=http://citizennewspapergroup.com/news/2020/oct/07/organizer-aspires-change-community-and-congression/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=February 8, 2021|website=Citizen Weekly}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sullender|first=Andrew|date=January 31, 2021|title=Chicago area gun dealers say record sales since Jan. 6 driven by 'fear, plain and simple'|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/1/31/22257060/gun-dealers-record-sales-chicago-area-jan-6-fear-biden-trump-pritzker-firearms-state-police|access-date=February 8, 2021|website=Chicago Sun-Times|language=en}}</ref>
=== Electoral politics and government === Collins was a staff member in J. B. Pritzker's campaign for governor of Illinois in 2018, but resigned after recordings of conversations between Pritzker and Rod Blagojevich in 2009 where Pritzker made racially insensitive remarks were publicly released.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://abc7chicago.com/3073411/|title=Pritzker staffer who quit over racial comments speaks out|date=February 13, 2018|website=ABC7 Chicago|language=en|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref> Later in that election cycle, she served as the political director for Sameena Mustafa's unsuccessful campaign for Illinois's 5th congressional district.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dailynorthwestern.com/2018/03/04/campus/nu-alumna-evanston-native-runs-congress-illinois-5th-district/|title=Northwestern alumna Sameena Mustafa runs for Congress in Illinois|last=Li|first=Amy|date=March 5, 2018|website=The Daily Northwestern|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref>
In 2018, Collins co-authored the Illinois Council on Women and Girls Act, which created a council to advise the governor and state lawmakers on issues concerning women and girls.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://newschannel20.com/news/local/kick-off-celebration-held-for-new-illinois-council-on-women-and-girls|title=Kick-off celebration held for new Illinois Council on Women and Girls|last=Staff|first=WICS/WRSP|date=April 9, 2019|website=WICS|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref> She served as the Council's inaugural chairwoman.{{Until when|date=June 2019}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfw.org/?news=chicago-city-clerk-anna-valencia-taps-female-power-players-to-improve-status-of-citys-girls-and-women|title=Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia taps female power players to improve status of city's girls and women|date=October 22, 2018|website=Chicago Foundation for Women|language=en|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=WGN News|title=IL Council for Women and Children|date=June 3, 2018|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSHkgt13hm8|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/gov-pritzker-announces-21-new-members-of-illinois-council-on-women-and-girls/|title=Gov. Pritzker announces 21 new members of Illinois Council on Women and Girls|date=April 10, 2019|website=CIProud|language=en-US|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref> During her tenure as the Council's chair, Collins was also selected by Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia to serve on the Status of Women and Girls in Chicago working group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/heidi-stevens/ct-life-stevens-monday-status-women-girls-group-1022-story.html|title=Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia taps female power players to improve status of city's girls and women|last=Stevens|first=Heidi|date=October 22, 2018|website=chicagotribune.com|access-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref>
During the 2019 Chicago aldermanic election, Collins helped form a coalition of organizations called Brand New Council, which aimed to elect progressive candidates of color to Chicago City Council.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/young-chicago-activists-have-a-plan-take-over-city-hall/f48d7ada-d1dd-4bc9-9140-32c0b20ba103|title=Young Chicago Activists Have A Plan: Take Over City Hall|last=Woelfel|first=Mariah|date=February 5, 2019|website=WBEZ|language=en|access-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chicagocrusader.com/activists-aim-to-vote-out-black-aldermen-after-van-dyke-rulings/|title=Activists aim to vote out Black aldermen after Van Dyke rulings {{!}} Gary/Chicago Crusader|last=The Chicago Crusader|date=January 23, 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref> The coalition endorsed 16 candidates and worked to register new voters.<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ChicagoBrandNew/status/1093299211121106944|title=Endorsed are the following candidates|last=Brand New Council|date=February 6, 2019|website=@ChicagoBrandNew|language=en|access-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref>
=== Recognition === She received the Vernita Grey Community Activist Award from the Chicago chapter of the National Organization for Women in 2018.<ref name=":3" />
== Congressional elections ==
=== 2020 === {{See also|2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois#District 7}} Collins announced her candidacy for U.S. Representative from Illinois's 7th congressional district on May 13, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Collins|first=Kina|date=May 13, 2019|title=Today, I announced that I am running for the #IL07 Congressional District seat! Please follow my new campaign account, @Kina4Congress for updates, and read all about my campaign …|url=https://twitter.com/KinaCollins_/status/1127928642066157569|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=June 19, 2019|website=@KinaCollins_|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> She challenged incumbent congressman Danny K. Davis in the Democratic Party primary election for the seat in March 2020, in addition to two other challengers, Anthony Clark and Kristine Schanbacher. Collins highlighted single-payer healthcare, research and resources for gun violence prevention, and criminal justice reform as her three top priorities if elected.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kinaforcongress.com/policy-platform-2|title=Policy Platform|website=Kina Collins for Congress|language=en-US|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref> She received endorsements from several local officials, including Chicago alderman Jeanette Taylor, Illinois House Representative Anna Moeller, two Oak Park village trustees, two River Forest village trustees, and two local school board members.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.austinweeklynews.com/News/Articles/1-30-2020/Austin-congressional-hopeful-nabs-suburban-endorsements-/|title=Austin congressional hopeful nabs suburban endorsements|last=Sheridan|first=Stacey|date=January 30, 2020|website=austinweeklynews.com|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=January 31, 2020}}</ref> She was also endorsed by several organizations including the Center for Popular Democracy,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kinaforcongress.com/endorsements|title=Endorsements|website=Kina Collins for Congress|language=en-US|access-date=January 31, 2020|archive-date=April 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408064545/https://kinaforcongress.com/endorsements|url-status=dead}}</ref> Women's March Illinois,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/womensmarchillinois/posts/2842228739225540|title=Meet Women's March - Illinois supported candidate, Kina Collins, and let's help get a new powerhouse representative from Chicago to DC on March 17, 2020!|last=Women's March Illinois|date=January 24, 2020|website=facebook.com|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=January 31, 2020}}</ref> and Northside Democracy for America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.northsidedfa.com/|title=Northside Democracy for America|last=|first=|date=|website=Northside Democracy for America|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104152950/https://www.northsidedfa.com/|archive-date=January 4, 2020|access-date=January 31, 2020}}</ref> In the March 17, 2020, Democratic primary election, she placed second with 13.8% of the vote.
=== 2022 === {{See also|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois#District 7}}Collins announced her candidacy for Illinois's 7th congressional district in 2022 on June 1, 2021.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9" /> Along with the launch of her campaign, she announced an endorsement from Justice Democrats.<ref name=":8" /> Collins outraised incumbent Representative Danny Davis in both of the first two quarters of her campaign.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollcall.com/2021/07/16/house-democrats-build-cash-reserves-ahead-of-2022-midterms/|title=House Democrats build cash reserves ahead of 2022 midterms|last=Ackley|first=Kate|date=July 16, 2021|access-date=October 14, 2021|website=Roll Call}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2021/10/14/police-unions-anti-vax-posturing-gets-mayors-eyeroll-494704|title=Police union's anti-vax posturing gets mayor's eyeroll|date=October 14, 2021|access-date=October 14, 2021 |website=Politico |first=Shia |last=Kapos}}</ref> In the June 28, 2022, Democratic primary election, she placed second with 45% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Rep. Danny Davis Wins Over Challenger Kina Collins in 7th Congressional District: AP |url=https://news.wttw.com/2022/06/28/danny-davis-holds-early-lead-over-challenger-kina-collins-7th-congressional-district |access-date=June 29, 2022 |website=WTTW News |language=en}}</ref>
== Electoral history == === 2020 === {{Election box begin no change|title=2020 Democratic primary for Illinois's 7th congressional district<ref name=ILPrimary>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=%2bzMIuj2TEvA%3d&OfficeType=%2brBqro%2b%2bHTUkQvv7Q1tDdQ%3d%3d&T=637227450317589705|title=Election Results 2020 GENERAL PRIMARY|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=April 17, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=March 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=ChicagoDemPrimary>{{Cite web|url=https://chicagoelections.gov/en/election-results.asp?election=230|title=Election Results 2020 Primary - DEM - 3/17/2020|access-date=April 8, 2020|publisher=Chicago Board of Election Commissioners|archive-date=July 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709145911/https://chicagoelections.gov/en/election-results.asp?election=230|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=CookPrimary>{{Cite web|url=https://results320.cookcountyclerk.com/summary.aspx?eid=31720|title=Suburban Cook County Election Results March 17, 2020 Presidential Primary Election|access-date=April 8, 2020|publisher=Cook County Clerk's Office}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|candidate=Danny K. Davis (incumbent)|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=79,813|percentage=60.2}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=Kina Collins|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=18,399|percentage=13.8}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=Anthony Clark|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=17,206|percentage=13.0}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=Kristine Schanbacher|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=17,187|percentage=13.0}} {{Election box total no change|votes=132,605|percentage=100.0}} {{Election box end}} === 2022 === {{Election box begin no change | title =2022 Democratic primary for Illinois's 7th congressional district<ref>{{Cite news |title=Here are the key primary election results from Illinois |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/06/28/1107092975/illinois-primary-election-results |date=June 28, 2022 |access-date=July 10, 2022 |work=NPR}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Danny K. Davis (incumbent) | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 35,366 | percentage = 52.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Kina Collins | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 31,054 | percentage = 45.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Denarvis Mendenhall | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 1,626 | percentage = 2.4 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 68,046 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box end}}
== References == {{Reflist|2}}
== External links == {{commonscat}} * [https://www.kinacollins.com/ Campaign website] {{CongLinks|fec=H0IL07167}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Kina}} Category:1991 births Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:21st-century African-American women politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Activists from Illinois Category:African-American women activists Category:American women activists Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States House of Representatives elections Category:Candidates in the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections Category:Carthage College alumni Category:Illinois Democrats Category:Living people Category:Louisiana State University alumni Category:Women in Illinois politics