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Lateefah in the News

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A LIFETIME OF

FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE

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<h2>Lateefah Simon is a 30-year veteran organizer and nationally recognized advocate for civil rights and social justice.</h2><img src="https://run.imgix.net/ec75aa9f-a339-4fe2-814b-294e71ce3ccc/6a45648c-81a2-4a28-9e44-839d8900e690/cd1d2df9-15c4-415b-8181-fb6f38459499.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=2&amp;con=8&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=-23&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=345%2C0%2C3238%2C2304&amp;w=1500" alt="" title="right-50" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed"><h3>Lateefah began her career of advocacy at age 16 as an outreach coordinator for the Young Women’s Freedom Center.</h3>At age 18, she gave birth to her eldest daughter, Aminah, and quickly learned as a young single mother that government wasn’t working for people like her. A year later, she became Executive Director of YWFC and spent the next decade earning national acclaim for her advocacy on behalf of marginalized young women. In 2003, at age 26, Lateefah became the youngest woman to receive a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship.<h3>Lateefah was later chosen by then-San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris to lead the creation of&nbsp; Back on Track.</h3><img src="https://run.imgix.net/ec75aa9f-a339-4fe2-814b-294e71ce3ccc/1e1146a8-ef7b-4aee-9503-37ac7877f447/1e1146a8-ef7b-4aee-9503-37ac7877f447.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=5&amp;con=4&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=25&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=299%2C210%2C2076%2C2701&amp;w=1500" alt="" title="right-50" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed">Back on Track was a highly effective, first-of-its-kind anti-recidivism initiative for young adults charged with low-level offenses.Lateefah also served as Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, where she launched successful community-based initiatives such as the Second Chance Legal Services Clinic.She would go on to become Program Director of the Rosenberg Foundation, where she launched a fund to incubate and accelerate bold ideas from the next generation of progressive leaders in California.<h3>In 2016, galvanized by the death of Oscar Grant, Lateefah ran and was elected to the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors.</h3>Born legally blind, Lateefah relies solely on public transportation to go about her day and sought to make BART more affordable for working families and transit-dependent people like herself.Lateefah was also appointed by then-Governor Jerry Brown to serve on the Board of Trustees for the California State University, the nation’s largest public university system, where she offered strategic advice on policy matters related to racial justice in higher education.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/ec75aa9f-a339-4fe2-814b-294e71ce3ccc/34f03b2c-8559-4f4b-9a19-a7c44d8793b9/34f03b2c-8559-4f4b-9a19-a7c44d8793b9.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=28&amp;usm=11&amp;rect=39%2C63%2C468%2C376&amp;w=1500" alt="" title="left-50" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">Lateefah graduated from Mills College with a B.A. in Public Policy, and was selected as her class commencement speaker. She later earned her MPA from the University of San Francisco. In 2016, Lateefah became president of the Akonadi Foundation, an Oakland-based racial justice organization. In 2020, she was appointed a senior advisor on police reform for California Governor Gavin Newsom. Lateefah also serves on the Board of Directors for the San Francisco Foundation, on the Advisory Committee for Human Rights Watch U.S, as an Oxfam Ambassador, and the Board of Directors for Rosenberg Foundation and Tipping Point Foundation.

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“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 so I can continue our fight. That’s how we make change. And that’s why I’m running for this seat.”

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Lateefah Simon for Congress!

U.S. Representative

Barbara Lee

Governor

Gavin Newsom

U.S. Senator

Alex Padilla

Laphonza Butler

Attorney general

Rob Bonta

State assemblymember

Buffy Wicks

Speaker Emerita

Nancy Pelosi

Headshots

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://lee.house.gov/">Barbara Lee,</a> US Representative (CA-12)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/">Gavin Newsom,</a> Governor of California

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://ltg.ca.gov/about/">Eleni Kounalakis,</a> California Lt. Governor

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://oag.ca.gov/about">Rob Bonta,</a> California Attorney General

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sco.ca.gov/eo_about_bio.html">Malia Cohen,</a> California State Controller

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/">Fiona Ma,</a> California State Treasurer

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/bo/tt/">Tony Thurmond,</a> California State Superintendent of Instruction

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://kevinmullin.house.gov/">Kevin Mullin,</a> US Representative (CA-15)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://robertgarcia.house.gov/">Robert Garcia,</a> US Representative (CA-42)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://sd09.senate.ca.gov/">Nancy Skinner,</a> California State Senator (SD-09)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://sd10.senate.ca.gov/">Aisha Wahab,</a> California State Senator (SD-10)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/">Scott Wiener,</a> California State Senator (SD-11)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://sd13.senate.ca.gov/">Josh Becker,</a> California State Senator (SD-13)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://sd28.senate.ca.gov/">Lola Smallwood-Cuevas,</a> California State Senator (SD-28)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://a14.asmdc.org/">Buffy Wicks,</a> California State Assemblymember (AD-14)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://a18.asmdc.org/">Mia Bonta,</a> California State Assemblymember (AD-18)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://a17.asmdc.org/">Matt Haney,</a> California State Assemblymember (AD-17)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://a55.asmdc.org/">Isaac Bryan,</a> California State Assemblymember (AD-55)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://a60.asmdc.org/">Corey Jackson,</a> California State Assemblymember (AD-60)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://a44.asmdc.org/">Laura Friedman,</a> California State Assemblymember (AD-44)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sf.gov/profile/london-breed">London Breed,</a> Mayor of San Francisco

Sheng Thao, Mayor of Oakland

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.jessearreguin.com/">Jesse Arreguin,</a> Mayor of Berkeley

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ci.emeryville.ca.us/directory.aspx?eid=182">John Bauters,</a> Former Mayor of Emeryville, Emeryville City Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.herculesca.gov/government/city-council/council-members/council-member-alexander-walker-griffin">Alexander Walker-Griffin,</a> Former Mayor of Hercules, Hercules City Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ci.east-palo-alto.ca.us/directory-listing/lisa-gauthier">Lisa Gauthier,</a> Former Mayor of East Palo Alto, East Palo Alto City Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.cityofalhambra.org/333/Sasha-Rene-Prez">Sasha Renée Perez,</a> Former Mayor of Alhambra, Alhambra Vice Mayor

Libby Schaaf, Former Mayor of Oakland

Elihu Harris, Former Mayor of Oakland

Michael Tubbs, Former Mayor of Stockton

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oaklandca.gov/officials/district-6-councilmember">Kevin Jenkins,</a> Oakland City Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oaklandca.gov/officials/treva-reid">Treva Reid,</a> Oakland City Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oaklandca.gov/officials/councilmember-dan-kalb">Dan Kalb,</a> Oakland City Council member

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ci.emeryville.ca.us/directory.aspx?eid=225">Courtney Welch,</a> Mayor of Emeryville

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.alamedaca.gov/GOVERNMENT/Elected-Officials/Councilmember-Malia-Vella">Malia Vella,</a> City of Alameda Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-roster/rigel-robinson">Rigel Robinson,</a> Former Berkeley City Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-roster/terry-taplin">Terry Taplin,</a> Berkeley City Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-roster/ben-bartlett">Ben Bartlett,</a> Berkeley City Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-roster/rashi-kesarwani">Rashi Kesarwani,</a> Berkeley City Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-roster/sophie-hahn">Sophie Hahn,</a> Berkeley City Councilmember

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://cameronsasai.com/">Cameron Sasai,</a> Pinole City Councilmember

Judy Appel, Former President, Berkeley Unified School District Board of Education

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bart.gov/about/bod/member/janice-li">Janice Li,</a> BART Director, Former President, BART Board

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bart.gov/about/bod/member/bevan-dufty">Bevan Dufty,</a> President, BART Board

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bart.gov/about/bod/member/rebecca-saltzman">Rebecca Saltzman,</a> BART Director

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.actransit.org/board-of-directors">Joel Young,</a> President, Alameda County Transit Board

Larry Reed, Former Contra Costa County Supervisor

John Burton, Former US Representative (CA-05)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.acoe.org/superintendent">Alysse Castro,</a> Alameda County Superintendent of Schools

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.fremont.gov/government/mayor-councilmembers">Teresa Cox,</a> Fremont City Councilmember

Igor Tregub, Alameda Democratic Party Chair

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://district5.acgov.org/">Keith Carson,</a> Alameda County Supervisor (District 5)

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.alamedaca.gov/GOVERNMENT/Elected-Officials/Mayor-Ezzy-Ashcraft">Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft,</a> City of Alameda Mayor

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://pressley.house.gov/">Ayanna Pressley,</a> US Representative (MA-07)

Elected Officials

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://cadem.org/">California Democratic Party</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://emilyslist.org/">EMILYs List</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bwopatileleads.org/">Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) - PAC</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.btcalameda.org/">Building &amp; Construction Trades Council of Alameda County</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://envirovoters.org/">California Environmental Voters</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://calaborfed.org/">California Labor Federation</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://csea.com/">California School Employees Association (CSEA), AFL-CIO</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://workingfamilies.org/state/california/">California Working Families Party</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://alamedademocraticclub.org/">City of Alameda Democratic Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://collectivepac.org/">Collective PAC</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://progressives.house.gov/">Congressional Progressive Caucus</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://couragecalifornia.org/">Courage California</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ebyd.org/">East Bay Young Democrats</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://ellabakercenteraction.org/">Ella Baker Center Action Fund</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://feministmajoritypac.org/">Feminist Majority PAC</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://giffords.org/">Giffords PAC</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ibew595.org/">IBEW Local 595</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://lydeb.org/">Latine Young Democrats of the East Bay</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.lcv.org/">League of Conservation Voters</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nuhw.org/">National Union of Healthcare Workers</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.seiu.org/">Service Employees International Union</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.swactionfund.org/">Sister Warriors Action Fund</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://teamstersjc7.org/">Teamsters Joint Council 7</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.eastbaystonewalldemocrats.org/">East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/">Reproductive Freedom for All,</a> Formerly NARAL

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/">National Nurses United</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://cahsdems.org/">California High School Democrats</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.cta.org/">California Teachers Association</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nea.org/">National Education Association</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.higherheightsforamericapac.org/">Higher Heights for America PAC</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ufcw.org/">United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.milkclub.org/">Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://wellstoneclub.org/">Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://cayoungdems.com/">California Young Democrats</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.afscme.org/">AFSCME</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.blackchurchpac.org/">Black Church PAC</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.berkeleydemocraticclub.com/">Berkeley Democratic Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mgodems.org/">Metropolitan Greater Oakland Democratic Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sierraclub.org/">Sierra Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.actorsequity.org/">Actors' Equity Association</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://jgdc.org/">John George Democratic Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.aft.org/">American Federation of Teachers</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.atu.org/">Amalgamated Transit Union</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oaklandeastbaydemocraticclub.com/">Oakland East Bay Democratic Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://centeractionfund.org/">Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://foeaction.org/#">Friends of the Earth Action</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.foodandwateraction.org/">Food &amp; Water Action</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://priceofoil.org/">Oil Change International</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://climatehawksvote.com/">Climate Hawks Vote</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sanleandrodemocraticclub.com/">San Leandro Democratic Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/">Planned Parenthood Action Fund</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nursesforamerica.net/">Nurses for America</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://cwa9415.org/">Communications Workers of America (CWA) - Local 9415</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://endcitizensunited.org/">End Citizens United</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://ourrevolution.com/">Our Revolution</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://emgagepac.org/">Emgage PAC</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://dream4america.org/">Dream For America</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bayrisingaction.org/">Bay Rising Action</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.eqca.org/">Equality California</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://uaw.org/regions/uaw-region-6/">UAW Western States</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bwwactionproject.org/">Black Women for Wellness Action Project</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.albanydemocraticclub.org/">Albany Democratic Club</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.iaff.org/">International Association of Fire Fighters</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.cft.org/">California Federation of Teachers</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.votemamapac.org/">Vote Mama PAC</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://uaw.org/homepage-2/">International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.twu.org/">Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO</a>

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.liuna.org/">Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA)</a>

Organizations

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://oscargrantfoundation.org/wandaspeaks/">Wanda Johnson,</a> Mother of Oscar Grant

Dr. Belinda Arriaga, &nbsp;Founder/Executive director, Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS) *

Chaney Turner, ADEM Delegate (District 18)

Kelly Welsh, ADEM Delegate (District 11)

Kendra Fox-Davis, Chief Program Officer, Rosenberg Foundation*

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.stevephillips.com/about">Steve Phillips,</a> Bestselling Author

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://chefmichele.com/about/">Michele McQueen</a>, Executive Chef, Town Fare

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://aliciagarza.com/">Alicia Garza,</a> Executive Director of Black Futures Lab and Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter LA

Nicole Lee, Urban Peace Movement*

Marlene Sanchez, Executive Director of Ella Baker Center for Human Rights

Jessica Nolan, &nbsp;Executive Director of Young Women's Freedom Center

Daryl Davis

Selena Wilson, East Oakland Youth Development Center

Donald Lacy, Founder of Love Life Foundation

Melina Abdullah, Founder of Black Lives Matter LA

Manny Yekutiel, Owner of Manny's

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.msryannicole.com/bio">Ryan Nicole Peters,</a> Musician/Actress/Activist

Jilchristina Vest, Founder, West Oakland Mural Project

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://jennjohns.com/about">Jennifer Johns,</a> Artist

Chris Riggins, Comedian

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.goapele.com/pages/about-us">Goapele,</a> Grammy-nominated artist

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.damedrummer.com/home">Dame Drummer,</a> Musician

Sherry Hirota, Former CEO of Asian Health Services

Community Members

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news & press

Lateefah in the News

How San Francisco became a launching pad for the most powerful women in politics

Editorial: B.A.R. election endorsements

Our Bay Area endorsements for the Nov. 5 election ballot

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