Sam Park

Born and raised in Georgia, Sam Park is the grandson of refugees from the Korean War, and the son of Korean American immigrants. Through the HOPE Scholarship, Park attended Georgia State University where he obtained a B.A. in political science and a B.S. in economics. He went on to earn his J.D. degree from Georgia State University College of Law and his LL.M. from American University Washington College of Law.{{cite news |last1=Fouriezos |first1=Nick |title=Meet the Millennial Georgian Inspiring Asian American Voters |url=https://www.ozy.com/politics-and-power/meet-the-millennial-georgian-inspiring-asian-american-voters/83962 |work=OZY |date=June 24, 2018}}

During his second year of law school, Park took a Health, Legislation, and Advocacy course where he drafted a bill to provide skilled nursing services to medically fragile children. This was his first opportunity to work in the Georgia General Assembly. During the 2012 legislative session he met and interned for Stacey Abrams who was the minority leader of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus at that time. He served as a legal extern for the Georgia Senate Democratic Caucus during the 2013 legislative session. He then worked as a legal aide for Maryland State Senator Jamie Raskin. He also worked on Jason Carter's 2014 gubernatorial campaign and Jon Ossoff's 2017 campaign.

Park was inspired to run for political office after his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was able to receive treatment through public health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid. Park won the 101st district with 51.1% of the vote despite his opponent, incumbent Republican Chairwoman Valerie Clark, being favored during the campaign.{{cite news |last1=Farner |first1=Keith |title=Sam Park knocks off incumbent Valerie Clark in House 101 race |url=https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/sam-park-knocks-off-incumbent-valerie-clark-in-house-race/article_b9e38308-eac3-5739-9093-0fd32163c58a.html |work=Gwinnett Daily Post |date=November 8, 2016}}

Park is the first openly gay man to be elected to the state legislature in Georgia and the first Asian American Democrat ever elected to the Georgia General Assembly. In 2017, Park was appointed to serve as a Deputy Whip of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus.

In 2018, Park was re-elected with 58.81% of the vote, and was selected to serve as the vice-chair of the Gwinnett State House Delegation.

Park was selected as one of seventeen speakers to jointly deliver the keynote address at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.{{cite web |title=Democrats Unveil A New Kind of Convention Keynote |url=https://www.demconvention.com/press-releases/democrats-unveil-a-new-kind-of-convention-keynote/ |website=2020 Democratic National Convention |access-date=16 August 2020 |date=16 August 2020}} Park was the first Korean-American to be part of a national party convention keynote address, and he, Malcolm Kenyatta, and Robert Garcia were the first openly gay speakers in a keynote slot at a Democratic National Convention.{{Cite web|url=https://www.advocate.com/politics/2020/8/18/three-gay-rising-stars-join-dnc-keynote-one-his-fiance|title = Three Gay 'Rising Stars' Join DNC Keynote — One with His Fiancé|date = 18 August 2020}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.house.ga.gov/Representatives/en-US/member.aspx?Member=4901&Session=25 Official Georgia House of Representatives page]
• {{Ballotpedia|Samuel_Park|Sam Park}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-ga-hs}}

{{s-bef|before=Valerie Clark}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 101st district|years=2017–2023}}

{{s-aft|after=Gregg Kennard}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Shelly Hutchinson}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 107th district|years=2023–Present}}

{{s-inc}}

|-

{{s-ppo}}

{{s-bef|before=Elizabeth Warren}}

{{s-ttl|title=Keynote Speaker of the Democratic National Convention|years=2020|alongside=Stacey Abrams, Raumesh Akbari, Colin Allred, Brendan Boyle, Yvanna Cancela, Kathleen Clyde, Nikki Fried, Robert Garcia, Malcolm Kenyatta, Marlon Kimpson, Conor Lamb, Mari Manoogian, Victoria Neave, Jonathan Nez, Denny Ruprecht, Randall Woodfin}}

{{s-inc|recent}}

{{s-end}}

{{Georgia House of Representatives}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Park, Sam}}

Category:1985 births

Category:American politicians of Korean descent

Category:Asian-American people in Georgia (U.S. state) politics

Category:American gay politicians

Category:Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers

Category:Georgia State University College of Law alumni

Category:American LGBTQ people of Asian descent

Category:LGBTQ state legislators in Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Living people

Category:Democratic Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives

Category:Politicians from Atlanta

Category:Washington College of Law alumni

Category:Asian-American state legislators in Georgia

Category:21st-century members of the Georgia General Assembly