Mark Charles

{{for|the American singer and songwriter|Mark Charles (musician)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Mark Charles

| image = Mark Charles 2019.jpg

| caption = Charles in 2019

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| birth_place = Gallup, New Mexico, U.S.

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| education = University of California, Los Angeles

| party = Independent

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| website = {{url|https://wirelesshogan.com|Official website}}

}}

Mark R. Charles is a Native American activist, public speaker, consultant, and author{{cite book|author=Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah|url=https://www.ivpress.com/unsettling-truths|title=Unsettling Truths The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery|publisher=InterVarsity Press|year=2019}} on Native American issues, as well as a journalist, blogger, Reformed pastor, and computer programmer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/16822/1025am-navajo-speaker-calls-for-51st-virtual-state.html|title=10:25am -- Navajo Speaker Calls for '51st Virtual State'|author=ABQJournal News Staff|date=April 13, 2009|website=Albuquerque Journal}} He was an independent candidate for President of the United States in the 2020 United States presidential election.Bennett-Begaye, (May 30, 2019). Jourdan {{Cite web|url=https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/news/yá-át-tééh-i-am-running-for-president-qkbih7f1lkyAFcvN7x6LDw/|title='Yá'át'tééh ... I am running for president'|website=IndianCountryToday.com}}

Early life

Charles, the son of a Navajo father and a Dutch-American mother, grew up in Gallup, New Mexico.{{Cite web|url=https://www.knau.org/post/member-navajo-nation-announces-us-presidential-campaign|title=Member of Navajo Nation Announces U.S. Presidential Campaign|first=Ryan|last=Heinsius|date= May 31, 2019|website=KNAU}} He is a graduate of University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Activism and career

As an activist, Charles is known for denouncing the doctrine of discovery and for his opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline.{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/12/19/Navajo-man-calls-attention-to-US-apology/61691355962218/|title=Navajo man calls attention to U.S. apology|date=December 19, 2012|website=UPI}}Merritt, Carol Howard (April 20, 2015). {{Cite web|url=https://www.christiancentury.org/blogs/archive/2015-04/doctrine-discovery|title=Doctrine of Discovery|website=The Christian Century}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Dakota-Access-Pipeline-White-House-Protest-415882353.html|title=Opponents of Dakota Pipeline Bring Their Message to Trump|first=Ben|last=Nuckols|date=March 10, 2017|website=NBC4 Washington}}{{Cite web|url=https://religionnews.com/2018/08/22/denominations-repent-for-native-american-land-grabs/|title=Denominations repent for Native American land grabs|date=August 22, 2018|website=Religion News Service}}

Charles is a former pastor at the Christian Indian Center in Denver, Colorado. He is a consultant for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, as well as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Native News Online.{{Cite web|url=https://siouxcityjournal.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/navajo-christian-leader-to-speak-at-northwestern-college/article_d120eb50-1ec0-54c8-8136-60fc09a82780.html|title=Navajo Christian leader to speak at Northwestern College|first=Earl|last=Horlyk|date= November 11, 2018|website=Sioux City Journal}} Since 2008, he has written the blog Wirelesshogan: Reflections from the Hogan.

2020 presidential campaign

On May 28 2019, Charles announced via a YouTube video that he was running for President of the United States as an independent in the 2020 election.{{YouTube|id=livxZNCQeU|title= MC2020 {{!}}Campaign Announcement Video (Full)}} On August 20, he spoke at the Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum, alongside major candidates including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harris.{{Cite magazine|url= https://newrepublic.com/article/154790/indian-country-finally-getting-political-attention-deserves|title=Indian Country Is Finally Getting the Political Attention It Deserves|first=Nick|last=Martin|date= August 19, 2019|magazine=The New Republic}}

On July 25, 2020, Charles announced his choice of former Green Party Presidential candidate Sedinam Moyowasifza-Curry as his running mate.{{cite web|url=https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2020/07/mark-charles-chooses-sedinam-curry-as-running-mate/|title=Mark Charles chooses Sedinam Moyowasifza-Curry as running mate|website=Independent Political Report|date=25 July 2020 |access-date=August 21, 2020}} Less than three weeks later, On August 14, his campaign released a statement saying that Sedinam Moyowasifza-Curry had been dropped as Charles' running mate.{{cite web|url=https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2020/08/dario-hunter-and-mark-charles-announce-running-mate-changes/|title=Dario Hunter and Mark Charles announce Running Mate Changes|website=Independent Political Report|date=14 August 2020 |access-date=August 21, 2020}} On August 26, Charles announced that Adrian Wallace, Vice President of the Lexington NAACP and Chairman of the Kentucky State Conference of the NAACP, had been chosen as his running mate.markcharles2020.com/vp2020

Charles had ballot access in Colorado{{Cite web|url= http://ballot-access.org/2020/08/09/thirteen-presidential-candidates-qualify-for-colorado-ballot-by-paying-1000/ |title=Thirteen Presidential Candidates Qualify for Colorado Ballot by Paying $1,000 |website=Ballot Access News|last1= Winger|first1=Richard|date=August 9, 2020|access-date=August 21, 2020}} with write-in access in several states. He received a total of 3,098 reported votes in the 2020 election, including 2,011 votes from ballot access and 1,087 reported votes from write-in access.{{cite web|url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/2020presgeresults.pdf|title=OFFICIAL 2020 PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS|website=fec.gov|accessdate=2 February 2021}}

Personal life

Charles is a Christian. He was a pastor for a Christian Reformed Church for two years.{{cite news |last1=Jenkins |first1=Jack |title=Presidential candidate and former pastor Mark Charles confronts American history |url=https://religionnews.com/2019/09/11/presidential-candidate-and-former-pastor-mark-charles-confronts-american-history/ |work=Religion News Service |date=September 11, 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Silliman |first1=Daniel |title=For Third-Party Christians, Some Things Are More Important Than Winning |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/july-august/evangelical-third-party-voter-candidate-president-election-.html |publisher=Christianity Today |language=en |date=22 June 2020}}

References

External links

[https://www.markcharles2020.com/ Mark Charles 2020] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506213042/https://www.markcharles2020.com/ |date=2021-05-06 }}, official presidential campaign site
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOktqY5wY4A 'We the People' - the three most misunderstood words in US history], Tedx Talk given by Charles
[http://wirelesshogan.blogspot.com Wirelesshogan: Reflections from the Hogan], Charles' blog

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:20th-century births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Native American writers

Category:Activists for Native American rights

Category:American computer programmers

Category:American bloggers

Category:American male bloggers

Category:American members of the Christian Reformed Church in North America

Category:American people of Dutch descent

Category:American anti-racism activists

Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States presidential election