About Kande Ngalamulume

As memory reliably carries me back to my childhood, my most impactful childhood memory is being awakened on an Air France flight upon arrival at JFK airport from Brussels, Belgium, before heading to Columbus, Ohio. I was ten years old and my family had just migrated to the United States from Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), leaving extended family, whose dreams we carried with us to distant shores.  It was an enlightening experience for me as I quickly discovered that there is a wider world beyond what had been my immediate surroundings.

My father, having received teaching assistantship, completed his Master’s in International Affairs from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and subsequently earned a PhD in History from Michigan State University. He is currently an Associate Professor of History at Bryn Mawr College in suburban Philadelphia.   My formative years were thus spent in East Lansing, and it was there that I received nearly all of my schooling, culminating with my graduation from East Lansing High School in 1997. I was educated at Michigan State University, studying general business and economics, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2002. 

In my professional career I have been employed mainly in the financial services sector, with the exception of the last four years where I worked in the health care industry for Independence Blue Cross in Philadelphia, PA, as a Senior Business Analyst.  Both my educational and work experiences has strengthened my business acumen and increased my knowledge of our financial markets and health care system.

I came of political age in the mid 1990’s.  It was in dealing with different governmental agencies such as the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and the Michigan Secretary of State office that I became aware of the enormous impact that the decisions made in our state and nation capitals, had on my life and the lives of every citizen.  I began to understand the heavy sense of responsibility that our representatives held on their shoulders and challenges they faced, especially in the face of cognitive dissonance, that is, a gap between their convictions and policies on the one hand, and the values and profound needs, aspirations and dreams of their constituents on the other hand.  It became my belief that policies not rooted in strong convictions, stemming from shared sense of values, are merely political posturing and would not withstand the test of time.

Over the years, I have taken a profound interest in cultivating the hearts and minds of those who will be responsible for shaping our future, adolescents and young adults. I have dedicated my time and effort to working with them and being a positive role model in their lives.  It is my view that human capital is the single-most precious resource of this country and all the countries around the world, so it is therefore morally imperative to assure that every child reaches his or her full potential.  Every child is unique and, if properly educated and motivated, has within them the ability to contribute to society in a positive way. 

As a college student, I worked with The Lost Boys of Sudan, an orphanage group of Sudanese children misplaced by war in their homeland.  I helped to integrate these teenagers into American society through a myriad of interactive activities.  I also volunteered as a tutor through the Michigan State University Literacy Program, assisting students of Glencairn Elementary School in the areas of reading and writing.

My community activism extended beyond my time at Michigan State University. In my years since college, I have continued to serve the community by volunteering as a tutor and mentor.  In the past two years I have assisted middle and high school students of the Chester School District in reading, science and math through a program called Youth for Christ (YFC). This organization, funded primarily by the generosity of local churches, focuses on underprivileged children in Chester, Pennsylvania, a poor and marginalized section of Philadelphia.  Each summer since 2002, I have been involved in Camp Logos, a week-long Bible camp that takes place at Tar Hollow State Park in Laurelville, Ohio.  Camp Logos consisted of about 120 youths; juniors aged 8-12, and seniors aged 13-17. During the course of the week, camp-members must maintain a strict schedule of activities ranging from scripture classes and recreation to arts & crafts and devotions. In years past, I have worked as a kitchen cook/dishwasher, counselor, cabin inspector or, as was the case last summer, all of the above.

My association with Camp Logos began not in my adult life, but rather in 1989, when I too was an 11 year-old camper. I spent two consecutive summers at the camp. It was in the peaceful tranquility of Tar Hollow State Park that I came of age, becoming both spiritually aware and morally conscious. It was through a plethora of constructive activities and frequent one-on-one interaction with my counselors and fellow campers that the solid set of values such as hard work, honesty and integrity, that I acquired at home, were put into practice and tested.  These values, along with a heightened sense of personal sacrifice, compose the core of who I am as an individual.

These ideals are the fundamental building blocks on which my entire campaign is based.  I am entering the world of politics because I would like to make a contribution and bring about the right change. Change requires action, and action requires courage. Just as my father had the foresight and courage to start fresh in a foreign land with the hope of providing a better life for his family, I too possess the strength and determination to create positive change for the people of this state.  I am ready and capable of representing the people of Michigan’s 8^th Congressional District to the best of my ability.  It is by working together for the hope of a better and more prosperous future that we will bring Michigan back.