Lateefah Simon

Lateefah Simon was born in San Francisco, California, in 1977.[1] She earned her bachelor's degree in public policy from Mills College in 2009 and her M.P.A. from the University of San Francisco in 2022.[2] Her career experience includes working as a nonprofit executive at YWFC, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, and the Rosenberg Foundation. In 2016, Simon was elected to serve on the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors. She was also appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (D-Calif.) to the California State University board of trustees. In 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Simon to be a senior advisor on police reform.[3]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have spent my career fighting for justice — fighting for folks without a voice. Now, as a 25-year veteran organizer and nationally recognized advocate for civil rights and social justice, I am running to take this fight to congress. I began my career in advocacy at age 16 as an outreach coordinator for the Young Women’s Freedom Center. At age 18, I gave birth to my eldest daughter, Aminah, and quickly learned as a young single mother that the government wasn’t working for people like myself. A year later, I became Executive Director of the YWFC and spent the next decade earning national acclaim for my advocacy on behalf of marginalized young women. In recognition of that work, I won a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, and at age 26, I became the youngest woman to receive this prestigious award. I was tapped by then-San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris to lead the creation of Back on Track — a highly effective, first-of-its-kind anti-recidivism initiative for young adults charged with low-level offenses. In 2016, galvanized by the death of Oscar Grant, I ran and was elected to the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors. Born legally blind, I relied solely on public transportation to go about my day and sought to make BART more affordable for working families and transit-dependent people like herself. I’ve spent my life fighting for folks without a voice. I will take the shared stories and experiences of this community to the halls of Congress.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

For over 30 years, I have been an advocate for public safety. I started the nationally recognized Back-on-Track program in then-DA Harris’ office to prevent recidivism. As a BART Director I created a new ambassador program of uniformed, unarmed, personnel trained in de-escalation to promote community safety on BART trains. In Congress, I will support comprehensive policing reform to ensure that policing reflects community values and upholds civil rights and reinvests resources in communities. I will champion legislation that addresses the housing crisis and funds affordable housing, closes loopholes in federal gun laws, and provides resources for mental health, addiction treatment, and programs geared towards preventing recidivism.A lifelong resident of the Bay, I have dedicated myself to fighting for racial and social justice in Oakland and my community. As a Black woman and a single mother of two, I have seen firsthand how the most marginalized and disadvantaged communities, often immigrant communities and communities of color, are the first to have their civil and social rights be put on the chopping block by conservative legislators. I will champion comprehensive policing reform, expand voting rights, codify protections for reproductive care, and work to create a fair and humane immigration system that would disentangle the criminal system from the immigration system and expand legal pathways to work authorization and citizenship.As a Congresswoman, I will always prioritize protecting housing as a human right. I will seek tenant protections, lift up tenant unions, and create an equitable playing field for renters. I know the impact that Rent Relief legislation will have by creating a refundable tax credit for renters paying over 30% of their income in rent. In CA-12, I encouraged collaboration between BART and the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce (OAACC), supported SB 567, the Homelessness Prevention Act, and advocated for the revitalization of public housing. Having been a part of the public housing system, I’ve seen how this vital piece of infrastructure has been overlooked and underfunded for far too long.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public transportation has always been one of my top priorities. Through my experience on the BART Board of Directors, my daily commutes on public transportation, and being born legally blind, I know first hand how transportation touches every person’s life. Economic Justice, Public Safety, and Access to affordable, high-quality healthcare as a fundamental human right are also public policy areas where I have worked my whole life to make more accessible and equitable. These policies all go hand in hand, and success of one has a profound effect on the success of another - especially in CA-12. That is why I will take them head on, equipped with an arsenal of cross culture, cross faith, and cross industry collective of experts and partners.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe elected officials should be held to the highest standards and held accountable by everyone - supporters who casted their vote for them, voters who voted a different way, organizations or unions who have endorsed them - everyone. That means being available, open, and proactive in building relationships with stakeholders and thought leaders who represent every aspect of their district. I believe this characteristic of being a true coalition builder and organizer is the most important characteristic for an elected official. Once in office, we are not only beholden to our supporters - We are responsible for and represent everyone. Throughout my campaign, I've been intentional about meeting folks where they are at - where they live, where they do business, and where they raise their families - to understand how I can best represent them and bring home the necessary funding to improve their lives. As the next Congresswoman for CA-12, I will continue this coalition building and be a true representative for my entire district.

In line with being a representative for the entire district, I think another important characteristic for an elected official is lifting up the voices of their constituents. Everyone has a story to tell about how their lives could be improved, where the government is missing in action, or where an inadequate public service could be better equipped to serve the needs of the people. It's the job of an elected official to take those stories and experiences with them to Congress and give the voices of their constituents a national platform.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities for someone elected to Congress are to bring home federal resources to improve their district, take positions and votes that reflect the priorities of the constituency, and be a leading voice in Congress to not only advocate for the policy priorities of the district, but to lead and develop new and sensible legislation that continuously pushes the envelope on how the government can better provide for folks who need the most help.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was at age 16 as an outreach coordinator for the Young Women’s Freedom Center (YWFC). 3 years later, I became Executive Director of YWFC and spent the next decade advocating on behalf of marginalized young women. In recognition of that work, I was honored with the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, and became the youngest woman to receive this prestigious award at 26.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I support term limits. As we’ve seen with the United States Supreme Court, offices that do not have term limits allow for an extended and uninterrupted abuse of power without a process of checks and balances through democratic methods. It is not the duty of elected and appointed officials to hold office power for as long as they can - their duty is to serve and represent the people. And as time progresses, the democratic process should continue to function to allow new and fresh voices into positions of power.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

After spending the last 30 years as an organizer and coalition builder, I’ve learned first hand how integral compromise is to successful and productive relationships. In Washington, I won’t always agree with every single member of Congress on their policies or decision making, but I will always be open to working with proactive individuals if it means pushing through equitable and effective legislation based in sensible policy that will benefit my folks in CA-12 and families across the country.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Since announcing my campaign I have been endorsed by several statewide and nationally elected Democratic leaders including Governor Gavin Newsom, Representative Barbara Lee, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler. I have also received endorsements from a variety of organizations including EMILY's List, Giffords PAC, Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the East Bay Young Democrats.

What committees interest you?

From day one I’ve known that I would join the Transportation and Infrastructure committee. I understand how crucial safe, comfortable, and reliable public transportation is, not only in my district but for the rest of the country too. As someone who is legally blind and has never driven a car, public transportation has always been an incredibly important part of my life and my advocacy. It’s why I joined the BART board and led the board as president through the pandemic, securing the funding necessary to keep the service alive for our essential workers, despite the sudden drop in ridership.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

As a member of Congress, I will aim to reduce the influence of big money interest in politics by eliminating secret corporate spending in elections, promoting transparency and accountability in government, and supporting a ban on stock trading and ownership for members of Congress and the Federal Judiciary. In an age of partisan judiciaries, politicization of judicial interpretation of laws, and a Supreme Court that has exposed itself to be vulnerable to external lobbying and gift-giving, I will work to provide sorely needed reform to the Supreme Court and the lower courts. I will support expanding the number of justices on the bench, implementing term limits, and creating new judgeships across the federal system. I will also support and help impose an enforceable code of conduct on the Supreme Court, including instituting accountability measures and restrictions on gifts and requiring judicial disclosures and recusal.

Lateefah Simon did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.