Rhonda Fields

Rhonda Marshall Fields is a Democratic politician from Colorado. She represents District 29 in the Colorado Senate. Previously, she served as member of the Colorado State House of Representatives representing District 42 from Aurora, Colorado. She was the first African American woman elected in State House District 42, as well as the first Speaker pro Tempore.[1]

Rhonda Fields
Fields addressing an audience in 2017.
Member of the Colorado Senate
from the 29th district
Assumed office
January 11, 2017
Preceded byMorgan Carroll
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives
from the 42nd district
In office
January 2011 – January 11, 2017
Preceded byKaren Middleton
Succeeded byDominique Jackson
Personal details
Born
Rhonda Marshall Fields
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceAurora, Colorado
Alma materUniversity of Northern Colorado
Websitewww.rhondafields.com

Biography

Fields entered politics after her work as a victims' rights advocate in the wake of the murders of her son, Javad Fields, and his fiancée, Vivian Wolfe.

The two Colorado State University graduates were murdered on June 20, 2005, less than a week before Javad Fields planned to testify as a key witness in the murder of his best friend. In 2007 Gov. Bill Ritter appointed Rhonda Fields to the Colorado Commission on Criminal Juvenile Justice, where she worked on public safety and criminal justice issues. Fields also testified before the Colorado legislature on two successful bills, one strengthening the state's Witness Protection Programs, as well as the Javad Marshall Fields & Vivian Wolfe Witness Protection Act that is designed to develop better risk-assessment tools to elevate the safety and security of witnesses in criminal trials.[2]

Fields serves on numerous boards, including the Safe 2 Tell Advisory Board and Voices of Victims. Her professional affiliations include Women in Government, the National Federation of Women Legislators, the Colorado Black Caucus, the National Council of Negro Women, the Urban League of Denver, the NAACP, Black Women for Political Action and Alpha Kappa Alpha, a sorority of African-American college-educated women.

In 2011, 5280 Magazine ranked Fields 37th on its list of the 50 "most powerful" people in the Denver Metro area, saying she has "gained the type of respect that politicians dream about." She also received the 2011 "Rising Star Award" of the Colorado Democratic Party, the 2011 Leadership for Healthy Communities Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Wilma Webb 2011 Co-Legislator of the Year presented by African American Voices, the 2011 Black Women for Political Action Award, the 2010 Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award and the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce President's Courage Award.[3]

Fields is the founder of the Fields Wolfe Memorial Fund, a nonprofit, started in memory of her son Javad Fields and his fiancée, Vivian Wolfe. She has one adult daughter and four grandchildren. She is retired from United Airlines after 28 years of dedicated employment. Fields holds a Master's Degree from the University of Northern Colorado.[2]

Political campaigns

Rhonda Fields was elected to the Colorado State House three times, in 2010, 2012, and 2014. In 2016, she was elected to the Colorado Senate.[4]

2010 election

In 2010, State Rep. Karen Middleton withdrew from her re-election campaign in order to accept an out-of-state position. A Democratic vacancy committee then met to select a replacement candidate to appear on the November 2010 General Election ballot. Rhonda Fields was one of three candidates. She entered with the support of then-State House Speaker Terrance Carroll, incumbent Karen Middleton and she was nominated by the committee on the first ballot.[2] She went on to win the District 42 seat, defeating Republican Sally Mounier.

Colorado State House District 42 General Election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rhonda Fields 7,102 60.62
Republican Sally Mounier 4,614 39.38
Total votes 11,716 100

2012 election

In 2012, Fields was re-elected.

Colorado State House District 42 General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rhonda Fields 16,402 73.35
Republican Mike Donald 5,960 26.65
Total votes 22,362 100

Legislative career

Fields successfully sponsored nine bills and two joint resolutions in her first legislative session. To combat childhood obesity, she sponsored legislation to require 30 minutes of physical activity a day in Colorado schools. She also led legislation to authorize the Public Utilities Commission to create a tiered electricity rate for customers with medical conditions.[3]

Committee assignments

In the State House, Fields was assigned to the following committees:[5]

  • Local Government—Chair
  • Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force—Vice-Chair
  • Education
  • Health, Insurance & Environment

References
  1. "Fields Named Speaker Pro Tempore – Colorado House Democrats". Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  2. Pols, Colorado. "Rhonda Fields Wins HD-42 Democratic Nomination". ColoradoPols.com. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  3. "Representative Rhonda Fields (Aurora)". Cohousedems.com. June 20, 2005. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  4. Ballotpedia. Rhonda Fields. Viewed: 2017-01-14.
  5. "Representative Rhonda Fields - Colorado House District 42". www.leg.state.co.us. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
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