Maria Chappelle-Nadal

Maria Chappelle-Nadal

Chappelle-Nadal in 2013
Missouri State Senator from District 14 (University City)
Assumed office
2011
Preceded by Rita Heard Days
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
from the 72nd district
In office
2005–2011
Personal details
Born Maria Chappelle-Nadal
University City, Missouri, USA
Political party Democratic

Maria Chappelle-Nadal is a Democrat from University City, Missouri, who represents District 14 in the Missouri Senate. She is also a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives from District 72, a position which she held from 2005 to 2011. In 2010, Chappelle-Nadal was elected to the Senate to succeed fellow Democrat Rita Heard Days of St. Louis. [1]

Early life and education

Senator Chappelle-Nadal is a University City native, going on to receive a dual degree in Political Science and Sociology from Georgia State University in Atlanta. In 2002, Sen. Chappelle-Nadal was one of sixteen national fellows chosen by the National Organization for Black Elected Legislative/Women and the Center for American Women in Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University. She is a former participant of the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life (2004) and the Neighborhood Leadership Academy (2002) at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. [2]

Political career

Missouri House of Representatives

Chappelle-Nadal was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2004, representing District 72. She was re-elected in 2006 and 2008, serving in this office until her successful State Senate campaign in 2010. [3] While in office, she served on the Ways and Means, Small Business and Senior Citizen Advocacy Committees. [4]

Missouri Senate

Chappelle-Nadal was first elected State Senator of District 14 in 2010, and successfully ran for re-election in 2014. [5] She currently serves on the Education, Seniors, Families and Children, Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety, and Veterans' Affairs/Health Committees.

Other roles

Chappelle-Nadal is a former member of the Democratic National Committee, serving from 2005 - 2009. Chappelle-Nadal worked as Director of Communications for Lt. Governor Maxwell in 2010. She also served as the Director of Boards and Commissions, later becoming Missouri's Senior Advocate. Legislation associated with her work in these roles includes the Senior Care and Protection Act of 2003, and the Missouri Senior Rx Generic Drug Rebate. In addition, Chappelle-Nadal was one of Missouri's superdelegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Chappelle-Nadal currently serves as director on the University City School Board.

Education leader

Chappelle-Nadal is credited with working with a bi-partisan coalition of senators to move education reform forward in the state. Representing two school districts, which are unaccredited, she has championed providing access to quality education for all. Chappelle-Nadal volunteered for five years on the University City School Board and resigned in 2015 to focus on the environmental disaster posed by an underground landfill fire near radioactive waste at Westlake Landfill.

Role in Ferguson unrest

Main article: Ferguson unrest

Chappelle-Nadal took part in the protests over the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in August 2014. She expressed criticism for the heavy-handed police response to civil unrest, and general mismanagement of crisis within the community. During the protests, Chappelle-Nadal was among the protesters who were tear-gassed by law enforcement officials.[6][7]

Chappelle-Nadal acknowledged that institutional inequality is a major issue underpinning the unrest in Ferguson, contributing to tensions between police and an angered community: "I have to tell you that there has been systematic racism, institutionally in state government for decades, including my own state party,” she said. “People are angry, and they are hurt, and they’re trying to figure out: how are they going to receive justice?” The Senator has proposed legislation in 2015 to re-examine policies related to use of deadly force and proper legal procedures following officer-involved deaths. [8]


Radiation at Westlake Landfill

In 2012, redistricting added an underground fire at the Bridgeton Landfill and radioactive waste illegally dumped at the neighboring Westlake Landfill to her district. Chappelle-Nadal has been educated by her constituents and worked by their side to bring public attention to a 30 year old problem, although the waste had been around for an additional forty years at various sites in St. Louis. Chappelle-Nadal has taken a leading role in highlighting the lack of federal action to adequately protect the community. In 2015, reports from the Missouri Attorney Generals Office noted the underground fire could reach the radioactive material in 3-5 months. Since then, she has stepped up the public awareness campaign.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/allresults.asp?eid=300
  2. ↑ http://www.senate.mo.gov/13info/members/mem14.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/allresults.asp?eid=256
  4. ↑ http://www.house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills051/member/mem072.htm
  5. ↑ http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/Default.aspx
  6. ↑ "Jay Nixon breaks his silence, faces crucial test in Michael Brown case". MSNBC. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
  7. ↑ "Misinformation about situation in Ferguson spreading on social media". KMOV. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
  8. ↑ http://m.newstribune.com/news/2014/dec/29/ferguson-inspired-law-enforcement-bills-proposed/
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