Epsy Campbell Barr

Epsy Campbell Barr (born 4 July 1963 in San José, Costa Rica) is a Costa Rican politician and economist. One of the Founders of the Citizens' Action Party (PAC), she ran for president in 2010 and 2014. She is currently serving as a deputy in the Legislative Assembly.^[1]

Early life and education

Campbell is named after her paternal grandmother, who migrated from Jamaica to the Costa Rican Caribbean coast with her husband. Epsy Campbell Barr was born in San José in 1963, while her parents Shirley Barr Aird and Luis Campbell Patterson were living in San Francisco de Dos Rios. She is the fourth child of a family of five daughters and two sons. She married at a young age and became mother when she was just starting her university studies. She has two daughters, Narda and Tanisha.

She attended primary school in Las Gravilias and Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno School where she graduated in 1975, and completed secondary education studies at Liceo Franco Costarricense and Colegio Superior de Señoritas. She studied flute and saxophone in the Youth Symphony Orchestra from 1976 to 1983.

Epsy Campbell began her university studies at the University of Costa Rica and later moved to the Regional Headquarters of Limón Province, where she studied and worked simultaneously. She lived in the Caribbean for ten years, then returned to San Jose, where she graduated as an economist at the Latin University of Costa Rica in 1998. She has an MA in Development Cooperation at the Foundation for Cultural and Social Sciences of Spain in 2008. She is a researcher and activist for the rights of women and people of African descent, and entered politics out of desire for social activism.

She was President of the Citizens' Action Party (PAC) from February 2005 to February 2009. She was also national MP for the PAC from 2002 to 2006, and head of its faction from 2003 to 2005. She was a vice-presidential candidate in 2006.

Organizations

Epsy Campbell has been the head of the Center for Women of African Descent, the Alliance of Leaders of African descent in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Black Parliament of the Americas. She has participated in several conferences and meetings around the world, as the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, the III World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa, the World Conference on the Environment, Eco 92, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the First Encounter of Black Women of Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She was Coordinator of the Women's Forum for Central American Integration of the Network of Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin American Women and organizer of the Second Meeting of Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin American Women in San Jose, Costa Rica. She has written books and articles on topics such as democracy, inclusion, political and economic participation of women, people of African descent, sexism and racism, among others. She is an expert on issues of social development, equity, political participation of women and African descent.

2014 presidential bid

After serving in the legislature for four years (2002-2006) and running for vice president in 2006, Campbell decided to seek the nomination of the PAC. She traveled the country in an RV, taking her anti-corruption and accountability message to PAC voters. Three other candidates vied to represent PAC in the 2014 national elections: Juan Carlos Mendoza, Luis Guillermo Solís, and Ronald Solís Bolaños. As of February, 2013, she was the most popular opposition candidate; however, she bowed out of the race to Luis Guillermo Solís.^[2] Solís became Costa Rica's president elect in March 2014.

2014 deputy election

In March 2014, Campbell won a deputy position in San Jose, Costa Rica as a PAC candidate.^[3] When Solís became the de facto president elect, he mentioned that Campbell would be one of his choices for President of the Legislative Assembly,^[4] although Henry Mora Jiménez became the President of the Legislative Assembly in May 2014.^[5][6]

References

External links

• Vamos o No Vamos Campaign Website (defunct)
• PAC Website