About Kam

Kam Buckner is a son of Chicago. Growing up in Roseland and Washington Heights, his father was a law enforcement officer and his mother was a teacher. He attended Chicago Public Schools, graduating from Morgan Park High School before going to college at the University of Illinois and later law school at DePaul University.

Kam worked on Capitol Hill for Senator Dick Durbin before coming home to join the Chicago Cubs leading their community outreach. In 2015, Kam became the Executive Director of the nonprofit World Sport Chicago, where he served 70,000 students across the city.

In 2019, Kam was sworn into the General Assembly to the Illinois House of Representatives, his district runs from South Chicago to the Gold Coast. As a State Representative, Kam is House Chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, was a lead negotiator on the nation’s most comprehensive and consequential clean energy package, and has worked to pass legislation on public safety, equitable schools, economic empowerment, and jobs.

Kam lives in the Bronzeville neighborhood with his wife, Bernardette, and their son, Kas.

See Kam’s plan for the city

See Kam’s plan for the city