Author EXECUTIVE Coach Chris Edwards Bio

Chris Edwards (Martin Christopher Edwards) Author, Business Executive, Political Strategist, Display Artist & Executive Coach

Chris Edwards (Martin Christopher Edwards Author/Business Executive & Executive Coach was born in Shawneetown, Illinois and lived for several decades in the western United States. 

He is a recognized proponent of the cultural arts, a strong and at times controversial business leader and a political activist for equality in human rights, the rights of POC and LBGTQ+ causes. He has traveled to 46 countries and enjoys the diversity of cultures. Chris Edwards has led divisions of large  companies, assisted with the growth

and support of social enterprises and served on boards of several non-profits. [1] [2]

Career:

As an author he gained recognition for his 90 Days to a Glass Half full Book Series, a self help series inspired by his relationship with incarcerated individuals after a period in Federal Custody for Tax Evasion. He is also recognized for the work he did with formerly incarcerated individuals and the success of a re-entry into employment program into creating retail professionals. [3]

Public Life:

Author & Activist Chris Edwards was involved in the community of Northern California and raised over $1 million dollars over a decade for local charities, including AIDS Charities. Chris Edwards assisted in teaching an African delegation visiting and others of programs via the non-profit he was on the board of.[4] 

Chris Edwards for over a decade led as a co-chairperson the much acclaimed Napa Valley AIDS Walk and The Napa Valley Academy Awards Viewing Gala's as fundraiser for HIV/AIDS Case Management, migrant health testing and youth outreach. [5] [6]

Politics:

Chris Edwards was the first openly gay candidate to run for a public office in the city of Napa, California at a time when gays were shielded or closeted in the conservative bedroom community of San Francisco. [7]

These the elections in which Edwards participated were combative at times, with threats of blackouts and stifled speech of his locally hosted television show, Wine Country Happenings. His show was broadcast weekly on Cable Channel 28 and controversies over hosted forums also transpired. [8] [9] 

As a political candidate Chris Edwards campaigned like no other candidate in hitting the road door to door, starting earlier than others and working at forums at the local community college with state office holders, green party candidates and others. [10]

Chris Edwards had a strong following and was endorsed by the local newspaper The Napa Register Editorial Board. [11] [12]

Chris Edwards did not win the 2 elections participated in. With several establishment endorsements and out fundraising competitors he established the dialog and the blueprint for future races. Several of his extensive position papers were championed by the victor of the races and drafted into public policy.  As such his competitors recognized Chris Edwards for his political acumen and skill in understanding and drafting public policy. Chris Edwards was recognized for bringing technology to Napa politics by being the

first candidate with a comprehensive website that was interactive with blogs, videos and engaging position discussions, detailed positions and for bringing a level of professionalism to the policy debate.[13] [14] [15] [16]

Chris continued as an activist role in political circles, and as a businessman and an author. Chris Edwards has also very involved in community growth of the rights of BIPOC and the LBGTQ community. At times, he continues to drive controversy and dialog, yet has a track record of driving results politically.

He campaigned hard against the California Proposition 8 Campaign that would have barred gay marriages by creating a website that identified contributors against gay marriage. The site, launched in November 2008 by local gay rights activist & author Chris Edwards, listed every Napa County resident and business that reportedly donated to the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign. Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in California, and was narrowly approved by voters in November. Eventually, it was ruled

unconstitutional, and Gay marriage was established by the US Supreme Court as a fundamental right. [17] [18]

During the most recent 2020 election he aligned with 2 organizations, one called Bye, Bye Doris and another call Stop Napa Hate in order to ensure a far right wing candidate that had brought the Proud Boys and other radical groups into Napa was not elected. In partnership with the Anti-Hate Group, Chris Edwards did deep opposition research and created a series of informational videos  and press stories that exposed the lies and hypocrisy of the candidate in question.  The organizations were  instrumental in exposing the flaws of the candidate, the candidates alliance with the Proud Boys  of which she hosted at her launch party and other extremist, racist and homophobic stances. 

Professional Author 

Chris Edwards has gone forward in recent years to focus on writing, lecturing and mentoring consistent with lessons learned from his sense of community service and his lessons from federal detention for tax evasion. He witnessed first hand the inequity of the criminal justice system and its discrimination against those economically challenged, BIPOC and the LBGTQ and the dangers each are placed in a system without safeguards and reform.

He has written a series of self help books to include 90 Days To A Glass Half Full Lifestyle: The Power of Positive Daily Affirmations 2 Hours Unplugged: Unplug & Reconnect: The Next 90 Days to a Glass Half Full Lifestyle, Get Fuc-ing Real, Get Right!: Harsh Motivation for a Rough & Tough World (90 Days to a Glass Half Full Lifestyle) [19] 

Continuing his activism to assist those coming from incarceration paired with his political activism he published Removing Barriers to State Occupational Licenses To Enhance Entrepreneurial Job Growth:: Out of Prison, Out of Work [20] 

More recently Author, Chris Edwards has partnered with Coach, Artist and co-Author Rene Sepulveda on a series of athletics focused books. The first series centers around the 112 year history of the New Mexico state interscholastic track and field program and expands into the history of track and field and football at Alamogordo High School in Southern New Mexico. The series tackles conversations about integration of high

school athletics, Title IX in girls sports and showcases Coach Robert Sepulveda the winningest Track & Field Coach in New Mexico history during the 90s. The series centers on him as a central character witnessing decades of change in prep sports. [21] [22] [23] [24]

The community school board named the local track and field after Coach Robert Sepulveda in response to his years of Athletics excellence as the central figure in this series of books authored by Chris Edwards and coauthor Rene Sepulveda. [25] [26]

Sources:

1. Author Chris Edwards PR CEO

2.  Yahoo News 5 Times State Champion, 19 District Champion Coach Robert (Bob) Sepulveda Book Series by Author Chris Edwards & Rene Sepulveda

3. Government Plea of Guilty on Tax Evasion

4. African Delegation AIDS Research Trip

5. Characters Take to the Streets for AIDS Walk

6. Movie Buffs Party for Charity

7. Bay Area Gays Knock on Doors for Candidate Chris Edwards

8. Station Votes Against Blackout 

9. Edwards Accused of Dirty Politics

10. Getting Out the Vote

11. Napa Valley Register Endorses Chris Edwards Napa City Council

12. Candidates Analyzed 

13. Candidates Raising Big Dollars

14. Downtown Vacancies Top Candidates Forum

15. Candidate Fundraising Who Gave What to Whom

16. Taking the Candidates to the Web

17. Proposition 8 Wall of Shame

18. Judges Rulings Proposition 8

19. 90 Days To A Glass Half Full Book Series 

20. Out of Prison Out of Work Policy Proposal 

21. Book Series Release by Author Chris Edwards & Rene Sepulveda 

22. Book Series Release & Overview

23. Author Chris Edwards Interview - Books Go Social

24. School Board Resolution

26. https://2ndlifemedia.com/

This page was last edited on 30 December 2020, at 11:41 (UTC). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.