Kina Collins is a lifelong activist and nationally recognized advocate for gun violence prevention and healthcare. Born and raised in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago, she comes from a working-class union family and attended Chicago public schools.
Growing up in a community heavily impacted by gun violence, failing healthcare systems, lack of economic opportunity, and closed neighborhood schools, Kina recognized the need to address systemic issues of poverty and neglect beyond surface-level problems.
In response to the murder of Laquan McDonald, Kina began organizing and later worked with activists in Baton Rouge during the Alton Sterling incident. This experience broadened her perspective on violence, connecting it to issues such as food deserts, school closures, and neglect in Black and brown communities.
In 2017, Kina founded the Chicago Neighborhood Alliance to empower activists to address gun violence through civic engagement. She co-authored the Illinois Council on Women and Girls Act, creating a council to advise on women and girls’ issues, and served as its inaugural chairwoman. Additionally, Kina was selected by Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia to contribute to the Status of Women and Girls in Chicago working group.
During the 2019 Chicago aldermanic election, Kina played a key role in forming the Brand New Council coalition, endorsing and supporting progressive candidates of color for the Chicago City Council. She also served on President Biden’s transition team and task force for gun violence prevention.
A product of the Chicago Public Schools system, Kina attended Carthage College and Louisiana State University, studying international political economy and sociology. In 2016, she was a Generation Progress’ #Fight4AFuture National Leadership Council member, focusing on gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform.