Pat LaMarche | |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | Patricia Helen LaMarche (1960-11-26)November 26, 1960 (age 65) Providence,Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Party | Green |
| Spouse | Chad Bruce |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Boston College (BA) University of Amsterdam |
Patricia Helen LaMarche (born November 26, 1960) is an American political figure and activist with theGreen Party of the United States; she was the party'svice-presidential candidate in the2004 United States presidential election, withDavid Cobb as its presidential candidate, and was one of seven co-chairs of theparty’s national committee, and was elected to that position on July 24, 2005.[1]
LaMarche is also a two-time former candidate forGovernor of Maine (1998 and2006).
LaMarche was born inProvidence,Rhode Island, the fourth of five children. She grew up in a public housing project in that city.[2] Her maternal grandparents were immigrants from southern Ireland.[3] Her father, Paul Henri LaMarche, is a doctor, and her mother, Genevieve (née Judge), was at that time a housewife but later became an auditor employed by the state ofMaine. When the family moved toBangor, Maine, in the 1970s, LaMarche enrolled atJohn Bapst Memorial High School where she graduated near the top of her class. She pursued her education with four years atBoston College.
LaMarche returned to Maine in 1982, and the following year, she married Michael Russell. She had two children: Rebecca in 1985 and John in 1987. Patricia and Michael divorced in 1990. In the late 1980s, she moved into the broadcasting field and was employed at various television and radio stations in the Bangor area. LaMarche has taught Public Relations atHusson College's school of Communications and headed the Bangor chapter of theChildren's Miracle Network.
In 1996 LaMarche moved south toPortland,Maine, to take a job at talk radio stationWGAN.
Until the beginning of her vice-presidential campaign, LaMarche was employed by acountry musicradio station in Maine under thepseudonym of Genny Judge; however, this ended with her candidacy.
On September 5, 2004, LaMarche announced that she would be visiting and staying overnight inhomeless anddomestic violence shelters throughout the United States "to draw attention to those living on the edge of society." The campaign dubbed this LaMarche's "Left-Out Tour."Left Out in America,[4] LaMarche's book which chronicles her tour through American homeless shelters, was released on October 5, 2006, by Upsala Press.[5]
In1998, LaMarche was approached to run for governor by Green Party activists on theMaine Green Independent Party nominee. Despite only raising $20,000, LaMarche's campaign won 7% of the vote. Because her campaign received more than 5% of the total vote, she became the first woman in the history of the state of Maine to gain ballot access for a political party.
On December 8, 2005, LaMarche announced her candidacy on theMaine Green Independent Party ticket for the2006 Maine gubernatorial election against incumbentDemocratJohn Baldacci.[6] Her positions garnered the endorsement, among others, of Chris Miller, progressive former Democratic candidate for governor who lost in the primaries. LaMarche was one of three Maine Candidates who took advantage of Maine'sClean Election Act, a taxpayer-funded campaign system which rewards candidates with public funds if they meet the required 2,500 $5 contributions[7] In November 2006, LaMarche received 51,992 votes (9.56%) in the Maine race for governor.[8]
The LaMarche for Governor website was being permanently archived by the Library of Congress official 2006 Election archive.[9] The site also won a number of awards, including The Golden Dot Award as Best Local Campaign Website of the 2006 campaign at the annual Politics Online conference held in Washington, D.C., on March 15, 2007,[10] A Pollie Award from the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) in the gubernatorial websites category,[11] and An Honorable Mention from AAPC for mobile technology used in the LaMarche campaign.[12]
In 2021, LaMarche spoke at the graduation ceremony for economically disadvantaged individuals who had to take a money management class to improve their housing and living assistance. After reminding the organizers that no one can stretch a penny far enough to compensate for having too few pennies to begin with - LaMarche congratulated the graduates and spent time getting to know them better. One woman on permanent disability explained that her dream existence would include crocheting every day. Walking home that night, LaMarche realized that she could create an art installation that would allow her to do just that... AND remind her community that homelessness kills. Indeed - every year, on homeless memorial night, advocates across the country commemorate those who are lost on the street. December 21st - the longest day of the year - is that day. LaMarche's efforts were supported by Matthew Best, Max Donnelly and Marsha Roscoe. With the help of hundreds of artisans and volunteers,together they put 219 handmade blankets out, overnight, to mark the solemn event.
In 2022,the blanket project returned. This time LaMarche arranged theevent to grace the West Lawn of the US Capitol. With agenerous grant from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and in cooperation with thousands of volunteers, the#memorialblanket art installation took place in front of the mostpowerful building on the planet.
A third #memorialblanket project took place December 21, 2023 at the State Capitol in Harrisburg. And at a satellite location in Akron, Ohio. More information is available at www.memorialblanket.org
The fourth #memorialblanket project is planned for Independence National Park for December 21, 2024
From 2007 until 2011, LaMarche authored a weeklysyndicated column which can be read on line in theBangor Daily News. LaMarche was also a Contributing Author for the online news and commentary siteNew Clear Vision as well as a contributor to theHuffington Post.
Along with her journalism, LaMarche was Vice President of Safe Harbour, a homeless shelter based inCarlisle, Pennsylvania for several years. She returned to Maine in June 2011, having been offered the opportunity byStephen King to institute "aleft-leaning" talk show. With her co-presenter, Don Cookson, LaMarche appeared on theWZON showThe Pulse five mornings each week. In November 2011, in order to raise matched funding on offer from Stephen King to provide winter heat for Mainers without, LaMarche announced her intention to spend a week living in a "Hobbit Hole" outdoors, notwithstanding the bracing Maine fall conditions. She repeated the feat in 2012, garnering thousands of dollars in contributions. Her last broadcast on the morning show was November 16, 2012.
Upon returning to Pennsylvania she worked with Rick Smith on theRick Smith Show from Harrisburg. LaMarche and Smith traveled 9800 miles of the U.S., broadcasting nightly and she came away with her second book,Daddy, What's the Middle Class? She is working to help end poverty inAppalachia.
LaMarche and fellow homeless advocate,Diane Nilan, traveled regularly speaking for agencies and universities about ever-growing despair among America's poorest residents. They refer to themselves as theBabes of Wrath as a tribute to the important lessons delivered byJohn Steinbeck in his epic novel,The Grapes of Wrath.
In June 2019, LaMarche published a novel,Magic Diary throughSunbury Press.[13]
In 2020, Sunbury Press published LaMarche's non-fiction tome about poverty in the United States - a sequel to the book she wrote following her fun for Vice President.Still Left Out in America casts a journalist's eye on the inside and outside world of homelessness.
Later that year, Pat participated in a Sunbury Press collaboration,After the Pandemic, reviewing the impact on the nation created by the Covid 19 pandemic.
LaMarche's novel,Priscilla the Princess of the Park, is part one of a four-part series,[14] dealing with homelessness through the eyes of an elderly woman and the young people she befriends in the park. It is published by the non-profit,Charles Bruce Foundation.
LaMarche's latest novel,Kursid Kids, was a collaboration with her then eight-year-old grandson, Ronan Russell. It details a magical land filled with science fantasy and a very special cat who is capable of ending homelessness. The sequel, Kursid Kids Winter Turns was released in October, 2024.
LaMarche's newest book on poverty deals with food insecurity and homelessness. Humble Pie also contains recipes created by centuries of people struggling to survive as well as contributions from professional chefs.
LaMarche covers the Harrisburg beat as well as issues surrounding poverty for Philadelphia area local paper.Her first article ran January 25, 2023.
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| Preceded by | Green nominee forVice President of the United States 2004 | Succeeded by |