28 Facts About Kam Buckner

Kambium Elijah "Kam" Buckner was born on May 12,1985 and is an American politician and attorney who serves as a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 26th district.

Kam Buckner currently serves as Speaker Pro Tempore and budgeteer.

Kam Buckner was a candidate in the 2023 Chicago mayoral election, but lost in the first round.

Kam Buckner was raised on the South Side of Chicago, and attended Morgan Park High School.

Kam Buckner later earned a JD degree from the DePaul University College of Law.

Kam Buckner then worked in community and neighborhood relations for the Chicago Cubs from 2013 until 2015.

Kam Buckner has taught at University of Chicago and has been a contributor for The Hill and Crain's Chicago Business.

At the start of the 103rd General Assembly, incoming-Speaker Chris Welch named Kam Buckner to serve as one of eight Assistant Majority Leaders for the seventy-eight member Democratic caucus.

On May 12,2022, Kam Buckner announced that he would run for mayor of Chicago in the 2023 election.

In 2019, Buckner became an early supporter of Kamala Harris's presidential campaign.

Kam Buckner served as a Harris delegate at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and served as a national surrogate for her campaign.

Kam Buckner authored HB 3917 to ensure that Chicago Public Schools receive the proper amount of funding based on the need of the students in the district.

Kam Buckner has been a proponent of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education in low-income neighborhoods and co-sponsored legislation to create an elected representative school board in Chicago.

Kam Buckner is the primary sponsor of House Bill 3920 that would make it illegal in Illinois for financial institutions to mail unsolicited, predatory, high-interest loan checks to consumers.

In October 2019, Kam Buckner filed HB 3925 that would make it illegal for law enforcement departments throughout the state to conduct background checks on citizens giving public comment at open meetings.

Kam Buckner was the House sponsor of Senate Bill 1599 which was sponsored by Elgie Sims in the Illinois Senate.

Kam Buckner has been an outspoken opponent of Red Light and speed cameras, saying that they fundamentally run afoul of due process, the right to face one's accuser and privacy.

Kam Buckner has spoken out about the influx of these cameras in minority and poverty stricken neighborhoods and House Bill 3927, introduced by Buckner, amends the Illinois Vehicle Code and makes these automated traffic law enforcement systems illegal.

Kam Buckner has been a vocal advocate for comprehensive gun control.

Kam Buckner has used his personal history of experiencing and witnessing gun violence from a very young age to demand that mental health, quality of life, education and economic development be factors in any public policy efforts to eradicate gun violence.

Kam Buckner took to the floor of the Illinois General Assembly in May 2019 to address the disappearance of 3 Chicago women, 2 of whom were pregnant and later found murdered.

In October 2019, Kam Buckner authored and introduced House Bill 3932 which would create the Task Force on Missing and Murdered Chicago Women Act.

Kam Buckner's father was the lead singer in a 1970s soul group that was signed to Hugh Hefner's Playboy Records.

Kam Buckner is a cousin of singer and actress Jennifer Hudson and the Staples Singers.

Kam Buckner was arrested and pled guilty to driving under the influence in 2010.

Kam Buckner was sentenced to 12 months of conditional discharge.

Kam Buckner is the co-host of a weekly podcast titled famILLy about Fighting Illini football with former Illinois Quarterback Juice Williams; a part of Evan Turner and Andre Iguodala's Beyond the Big Ten network of podcasts.

Kam Buckner is married to Bernardette Salgado-Kam Buckner, and they have a son.