Lateefah
Simon

Lateefah Simon is a lifelong organizer and activist who has dedicated her career to serving her community, especially the most vulnerable, and currently serves as the president of the board of directors of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system.

Simon was born and raised in the Bay Area of California, and became a single mother at the age of 18. This experience inspired Simon to become the executive director of Young Women’s Freedom Center at the age of 19. Simon went on to graduate with a bachelor’s in public policy at Mills College and later a master’s in public administration from the University of San Francisco. She was awarded the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship at the age of 26, becoming the youngest woman to receive the fellowship. Simon was selected by then-San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris to lead the creation of the Back on Track initiative to reduce recidivism among young offenders. In 2016, she was elected to the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors, where she advocated to make transit more affordable and sustainable.

As a representative, Simon will support bold climate legislation, advocate for the rights of disadvantaged communities, and champion voting rights.

Simon joins the U.S. House to fill the seat of former Representative Barbara Lee, who vacated the seat to run for U.S. Senate and earned a 97% lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard.

“I plan to continue my strong advocacy of combating climate change, investing in clean energy, and pushing for sustainable jobs. We can’t afford to wait to address the pressing issues surrounding climate change.” – LCVAF Questionnaire