Aaron Dixon

Aaron Dixon (born January 2, 1949) is an American activist and former captain of the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party. He is currently running for the United States Senate in Washington state on the Green Party ticket.

As an adolescent, he marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to end housing discrimination in Seattle, and was one of the first volunteers to participate in the busing program to integrate schools.

While a member of the Black Panthers, Dixon started the Free Breakfast for School Children program that fed thousands of hungry African American children; and he helped to open a free community medical and legal clinic. The clinic continues to this day as the Carolyn Downs Clinic, now part of Country Doctor Community Health Center. Aaron also became involved in electoral politics when he worked on the mayoral campaign of Lionel Wilson, who was elected as the first black mayor of Oakland, California in 1977.

After leaving the Panthers, Dixon worked for several non-profit organizations, focusing on drug and gang violence and working with homeless youth. In 2002, he founded Central House, a non-profit providing transitional housing for homeless young adults. Central House also has a Youth Leadership Project that operates at four Seattle public high schools. It teaches youth to think positively, graduate high school, and control their own destinies. It also teaches them the importance of serving their community.

Dixon is the father of six. He recently married Farah Nousheen, a media activist and founder/director of Tasveer, a grassroots organization committed to independent South Asian film. They live in Beacon Hill with their combined large family.

2006 United States Senate race

File:Aaronsign.jpg

Aaron Dixon for U.S. Senate yard sign

On March 9, 2006, Dixon announced his decision to seek the Green Party's nomination for U.S. Senate, challenging Maria Cantwell on her continued support for the U.S. presence in Iraq and the USA PATRIOT Act.

His platform included a call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq, the repeal of the PATRIOT Act, support of same-sex marriage to implement a system of univeral, single-payer health care and a war on poverty.

Dixon's entrance into what many speculate will be a tightly contested race captured immediate media attention and was quickly endorsed by Brita Butler-Wall, the President of the Seattle School Board and Sally Soriano, a fellow Board director, Amy Hagopian, the President of the Garfield High School PTSA, as well as Olympia city councilman T.J. Johnson, Ralph Nader's 2004 running mate, Peter Miguel Camejo, former chairperson of the Black Panther Party Elaine Brown, Malik Rahim, founder of the Common Ground Collective and Todd Chretien, organizer of the San Francisco College Not Combat initiative and 2006 Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate in California.

Reaction to Dixon's candidacy was largely positive among many local progressives, peace activists, gay rights activists and community leaders, though the reaction among Democratic bloggers was almost universally negative, citing the "spoiler effect". Dixon denied this, arguing that Cantwell's support for the 2003 Iraq War meant that he would draw anti-war voters that would not support Cantwell. ^[1]

Dixon also faced criticism in Seattle media for having several criminal charges on his record, most for traffic violations, and owing the city and county substantial fines as a result. Public records circulated by a local Republican Party activist also showed that Dixon owed several thousand dollars to a former spouse for child support payments. Dixon described these as additional costs in addition to his agreed payments, and indicated he was working to pay the debt.^[2]

On April 8, 2006, the Dixon campaign officially kicked off its campaign with a 350-person event at the Garfield Community Center, where he raised $4,000. Speakers included Amy Hagopian and Elaine Brown. On May 13th, 2006, Dixon was overwhelmingly nominated as the Green Party of Washington State's nominee for the U.S. Senate.

On June 25, 2006, Dixon joined fellow Green candidates Alison Duncan, candidate for New York Lieutenant Governor, Julia Willebrand, candidate for New York Comptroller, Malachy McCourt, candidate for Governor of New York, Howie Hawkins, New York candidate for U.S. Senate and Peter Camejo, candidate for Governor of California for a "March for the Fight for Love and Life" in support gay and lesbian rights in New York City.

On July 10, 2006, the Secretary of State's office announced that the Dixon campaign had gathered the approporiate nomination signatures and that Aaron Dixon would, indeed, appear on the November ballot. Also appearing on the ballot will be Libertarian nominee Bruce Guthrie, independent candidate Robin Adair and after their likely primary victories, incumbent Democrat, Maria Cantwell and Republican challenger, Mike McGavick.

External links

References

^ Modie, Neil. "As an Anti-war Candidate, Dixon Says he is no Spoiler" Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 9, 2006
^ Parrish, Geov. "Aaron Dixon's Voting Record" Seattle Weekly April 6, 2006.

[1] Modie, Neil. "As an Anti-war Candidate, Dixon Says he is no Spoiler" Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 9, 2006

[2] Parrish, Geov. "Aaron Dixon's Voting Record" Seattle Weekly April 6, 2006.

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