Kevin de León

Kevin de León, formally known as Kevin Alexander León, was born on December 10, 1966. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was a candidate in the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election. De León formerly served as the 50th president pro tempore of the California State Senate. In addition, he has been an educator, activist, and community organizer. He is also a distinguished fellow for Climate, Environmental Justice, and Health. Join us and celebrate the first Hispanic American to hold the president pro tempore of the California State Senate position in over 130 years!

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Kevin Alexander León

Nickname:

KDL

Birth date:

December 10, 1966

Age:

57

Zodiac Sign:

Sagittarius

Height:

5' 10"

Relationship Status:

Single

Net Worth:

$5 million

Kevin's Social Media:

Background

Kevin de León was born on December 10, 1966, to Carmen Osorio and Andrés León in Los Angeles. His parents were born in Guatemala, though his father may have either been of full or partial Chinese descent. In the 1960s, his mother, a single mom of two children, moved from Guatemala to Tijuana, Mexico. De León’s mother later moved to Los Angeles. She worked as a housekeeper before she met De León’s father, who wasn’t in the picture for most of his childhood. Later, his mother met and married a man of Mexican descent, after which she relocated to San Diego. His mother eventually divorced him, and single-handedly raised her kids in the Logan Heights neighborhood. De León also spent portions of his youth living close to his stepfather’s family in Tijuana. He was the first in his family to graduate from high school, after which he briefly attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, then dropped out. He later earned a bachelor’s degree from Pitzer College in 2003 and it was while attending UC Santa Barbara, that he began going by Kevin de De León.

De León was elected to the California State Senate in 2010 and he took the initiative to revitalize the Los Angeles River, securing about $68 to $176 million to clean up toxic waste around the former Exide Technologies facility. He also secured funding for more than a dozen new parks and an additional $26 million to complete the Los Angeles State Historic Park. He built permanent supportive housing for Californians experiencing homelessness and relieved city taxpayers by making Los Angeles schools more energy-efficient.

Before being elected to public office, he worked as an English and citizenship teacher. He was also a community organizer, working for the National Education Association and the California Teachers Association. He advocated for the improvement of schools in low-income neighborhoods by modifying fees, refurbishing school facilities, and creating better health insurance for children. As a result, he is renowned as an activist and an advocate for education.

Career timeline

2006
His First Run For Office

De León first runs for office against Christine Chavez, defeating her to replace Jackie Goldberg as the California state assembly member.

2010
He Makes Leaps in His Career

He is elected to the California State Senate.

2014
He Lands a Leadership Position

He makes significant progress in his career – becoming a state senate president pro tempore.

2016
His Advocacy Journey

He leads the charge in passing a package of 11 bills intended to curb gun violence.

Why We Love Kevin de León

  1. He has an ambitious approach to policy making

    When serving as the president pro tempore of the California State Senate, he led the 40-member senate body to take on strong legislation and policies. These spur discussions to improve infrastructure, education, and labor standards.

  2. He promotes climate action

    He strives to build a clean energy economy and to help fight climate change through public education on the issue. He has also introduced legislation that would push California state to produce 100% of electricity from clean energy sources by 2045.

  3. He's a proponent for gender equity

    He has consistently pushed for legislation for better investments in child care. These investments focus on empowering working women.

5 Surprising Facts

  1. He introduced a new initiative

    His ballot initiative ‘No Place Like Home’ legally committed California state to 100% clean energy by 2045.

  2. He has historic accomplishments

    He is the first person in Californian history to serve as a chair of the appropriations committee in the Assembly and the State.

  3. He never changed his name

    Although known in political circles as Kevin de León, there is no record of him legally changing his name.

  4. He graduated with honors

    Despite his trying background and dropping out of college, he attended Pitzer College of liberal arts college in Claremont, California, and finished with honors.

  5. He was in a “Marie Claire” magazine

    He was featured in the magazine after spearheading a bill (the first law in the United States that required affirmative consent) to prevent sexual assault on college campuses.

Kevin de León FAQs

What is Kevin de León's occupation?

Currently, he is a professor at U.C.L.A. Luskin School of Public Affairs.

Does Kevin de León have any pets?

Yes. He is a dog lover and has a pet dog named Popeye.

Is Kevin de León married?

No, he is not. In the past, he has been in relationships and has been known to date, Magdalena Carrasco. However, he has never introduced anyone as his wife.

Kevin de León’s birthday dates

YearDateDay
2024December 10Tuesday
2025December 10Wednesday
2026December 10Thursday
2027December 10Friday
2028December 10Sunday

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