Don Cooney

Background

Cooney, Don was born on March 30, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.

Education

Bachelor, Mary Immaculate College & Seminary, 1960. Master of Divinity, Mary Immaculate College & Seminary, 1964. Master of Arts, Fordham University, 1967.

Doctor of Philosophy, Bryn Mawr College, 1983.

Career

He is also a professor at Western Michigan University"s School of Social Work and 2008 Democratic nominee for United States Representative of Michigan"s 6th congressional district running against Republican Fred Upton. Cooney is originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was an ordained Priest, Community Organizer and worked with Cesar Chavez"s National Farm Workers Association. Cooney has been an Associate Professor at Western Michigan University"s School of Social Work since 1977.

While at Western, Cooney lead the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement, convincing Western Michigan University to become the fourth university in the Nation to divest from South Africa.

South African divestment by Colleges and Universities throughout the world is recognized as playing a substantial part in helping end apartheid in South Africa. As a long-standing Kalamazoo, Cooney helped establish the Kalamazoo Living Wage Coalition, the Poverty Reduction Initiative, and Kalamazoo Communities in Schools.

Cooney was first elected to the Kalamazoo City Commission in 1997 and has been reelected every two years since, coming in third out of 16 candidates in 2011 (top seven candidates are elected to the Commission). While on the commission, Cooney has sponsored and passed two resolutions in opposition to the War in Iraq and one resolution in opposition to the PATRIOT Acting.

Cooney serves as Commission liaison to the Commissions and City Boards on Neighborhoods, Community Relations, and Health and Social Services.

Cooney filed for the August 5, 2008, Democratic primary election for the United States Representative of Michigan"s 6th congressional district on May 12, 2008, in which he was unopposed. He faced Republican Fred Upton in the November 4, 2008 general election. Cooney"s campaign largely focused on differences in economic and energy policy with Upton during the campaign, calling for a new, New Deal to rebuild America"s human and physical infrastructure.

He has also been a vocal critic of the war in Iraq.

Cooney has large popularity in Kalamazoo. Cooney was the Democratic nominee for the United States Representative of Michigan"s 6th congressional district in 2010 as well, stressing similar themes as in his 2008 run.

Achievements

• Don Cooney has been listed as a noteworthy social sciences professor by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Member America Friends Service Committee Africa Project. Board chairman Constructive Community Builders. Founding member Kalamazoo Coalition on Criminal Justice, Kalamazoo Coalition for a Living Wage, Kalamazoo Non-violent Opponents of War.

Founding board member Kalamazoo Communities in Schools, Poverty Reduction Initiative. Board member New Latino Visions. Founding co-director Washington Writers Academy.

Member of American Association University Professors.

Connections

Married Kathy Cooney. 1 child Nathaniel.

Spouse:

Kathy Cooney

child:

Nathaniel Cooney