Camellia Raine was born April 17th, 1976, on a hippie commune in Ashland, Oregon to wealthy parents, Siavash and Elize Raine. As a young girl, her Iranian and South African heritage enthralled her, as well as the abundance of trees, untouched nature, and diverse people around her. She often conversed with the elders of the family and listened to their many lectures about the sanctity of the Earth, pacifism, and universal acceptance.
As a young woman, Camellia studied Environmental Science and Political Science at UC Berkeley in California. In her time there, she often participated in mock political campaigns and peaceful gatherings to protest legislation that was harmful to the environment and those whom she cared for. At these activities, Camellia became acquainted with her now-wife, Isabella Johnsoff, who shared her political viewpoints. After her studies, she joined the Peace Corps with Isabella and traveled the world for five years, helping people. Raine spent four years in poverty-stricken countries all over South America and her last year in Sudan. Unfortunately, during that last year, both her parents died in a freak hemp-weaving accident, and she was left with an enormous inheritance that she would later use as donations to various organizations, scholarships, and people in need.
Raine's experiences have helped develop her political priorities and have led her to build the strong liberal platform she has today. After working in the Peace Corps, Camellia began becoming active in Portland’s City Council and the Oregon Environmental Council, and, after approximately 3 years, became the head of both councils. Furthermore, she became very involved with NOW and Greenpeace, regularly donating and giving speeches in support of the groups. She is known to not be in support of PETA, in an interview saying that, "PETA is the most ineffective organization in this country. I firmly believe that its slogans are misleading, it spreads false information, and is furthering the objectification of women in its sex-oriented ads. What kind of equality-based organization hinders equality?"
In 2008, Raine decided to run for governor of Oregon, and won against her Republican rival, Evangelica Christiansan, in a landslide. Mid-term, she decided to get married to Isabella publicly, and encouraged citizens of Oregon to attend the wedding. Hailed as "the most pivotal ceremony in Portland's history," the wedding consisted of a main ceremony, a reception, and a peace copse where people could come together and plant a tree for different causes. This move helped gain her a lot of respect among Oregon's vast LGBTQ and environmentally conscious communities. After her term, Raine decided not to run again. Urged by her wife, Raine decided to run for House of Representatives, believing that she can, perhaps, make a difference in this world.
