Cedric Solosolo Asuega Gates
is a
Democratic member of the Hawaii House of Representatives, representing District 44. He was first elected to the chamber in 2016.
Early life and education
Gates is of
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
and
American Samoan descent.
His mother, Easter Asuega Gates, died in 2006, and his father, William Gates, died in 2014.
According to members of his family, he is the great-grandson of Solosolo Mauga Asuega, who was High Chief of
Pago Pago
Pago Pago ( ; Samoan: )Harris, Ann G. and Esther Tuttle (2004). ''Geology of National Parks''. Kendall Hunt. Page 604. . is the territorial capital of American Samoa. It is in Maoputasi County on Tutuila, which is American Samoa's main island. ...
.
Gates attended
Waianae High School
Waianae High School is a public, coeducational secondary school in the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, on the leeward (western) coast of the island of Oahu. The school about northwest of central Honolulu CDP. Waianae High S ...
, and later enrolled at
Leeward Community College
Leeward Community College is a public community college in Pearl City, Hawaii. It is one of 10 campuses of the University of Hawaii system and is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. Leeward's open admiss ...
. In 2013, he was honored by Governor
Neil Abercrombie
Neil Abercrombie (born June 26, 1938) is an American politician who served as the seventh governor of Hawaii from 2010 to 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Born in Buffalo, New York, Abercrombie is a graduate of Union College and the ...
as an Outstanding Advocate for Children and Youth.
Political career
In 2014, Gates ran as a
Green Party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence.
Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...
candidate in District 44, losing to
Jo Jordan
Georgette "Jo" Jordan (born May 5, 1962) is the former Democratic representative of the 44th House District of the Hawaii House of Representatives, which includes Wai‘anae, Mākaha, Makua, and parts of Māʻili on the island of Oahu. Jord ...
. In 2016, Gates ran against Jordan, this time in the Democratic primary. Gates' 2016 candidacy was controversial, as his 2014 candidacy as a
Green Party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence.
Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...
candidate was supposed to have barred his nomination as a Democrat under
Democratic Party of Hawaii
The Democratic Party of Hawaii ( haw, ʻAoʻao Demokalaka o Hawaiʻi) is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of Hawaii.
The party is a centralized organization established to promote the party platform as drafted in convention b ...
rules.
Nevertheless, Gates defeated incumbent Jo Jordan in the District 44 Democratic primary, and went on to defeat Marc Pa'aluhi in the general election. During the 2016 campaign, his campaign posters were vandalized with a racial slur.
Upon taking office at age 23, he became the youngest member of the state legislature.
After completing his first term in office, Gates was reelected in 2018 and 2020.
References
External links
Biographyat
Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...
African-American men in politics
American people of Samoan descent
Living people
Hawaii Greens
Democratic Party members of the Hawaii House of Representatives
Year of birth missing (living people)
21st-century American politicians
21st-century African-American politicians
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