Derek Kitchen, one of the plaintiff’s in Utah’s high-profile same-sex marriage case officially announced Tuesday he’s running for a seat on the Salt Lake City Council.
Kitchen announced the news at local market and deli Tony Caputo’s. Kitchen is part owner of Laziz foods, with his partner Moudi Sbeity. In 2013 Kitchen and Sbeity and two other couples filed the lawsuit which led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Utah. Kitchen says the case allowed him to champion the values he cares about.
“I believe that a strong community is one that embraces diversity and provides a place for every single voice to be heard,” Kitchen says. “And this case gave me the opportunity to become part of a bigger conversation where every voice is welcome at the table.”
Kitchen was raised in South Jordan and studied political science at the University of Utah. He says District 4 needs a progressive, pragmatic and creative decision maker to advocate for smart planning, air quality, transportation and small businesses like his own.
District 4 Councilman Luke Garrott will not be running for a third term. He’s instead challenging Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker for his seat.
