Derek Marshall is running as a Democrat for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 23rd Congressional District.

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He earned bachelor’s and graduate degrees from American University in 2005 and 2006, respectively. His career experience includes working as a community organizer with the Bernie 2020 campaign, a director of internationalization for web-based travel company Kayak, and in international relations.

From his campaign page:

I’m running for California’s 23rd Congressional District because I want to bring the folks of the high desert and the mountains together to demand and achieve a more livable life.

By trade, I’m a community organizer, and in my view, public service shouldn’t be about political parties and division. It should be about leading by listening, leading by serving, and leading by doing the work.

This campaign is rooted in love and driven by a belief in the power of a broad, diverse spectrum of united individuals coming together. When we transcend our differences to collectively fight for the things that directly affect our quality of life, we all win.

Derek Marshall is the oldest of three, and was raised by their parents in a small town. The Marshall family was active in the Church, where Derek was instilled with the importance of public service and community outreach from a young age. His family also ran a weekly homeless outreach program called Soup to Go. While Fridays were for X-Files, Saturdays were for making chili and feeding those in need.

Derek is also a proud and openly gay man, although he did not fully and publicly come out until his late twenties due to the social pressures so many in the LGBTQ+ community face to conform.