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Lateefah Simon

Lateefah Simon
Official House portrait of Simon smiling in front of the U.S. flag, wearing a white shirt and black suit with large gold buttons.
Official portrait, 2025
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 12th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2025
Preceded byBarbara Lee
Personal details
Born
Lateefah Aaliyah Simon

(1977-01-29) January 29, 1977 (age 48)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Kevin Weston
​
​
(m. 2012; died 2014)​
Children2
EducationMills College (BA)
University of San Francisco (MPA)
Signature
WebsiteHouse website
Campaign website

Lateefah Aaliyah Simon[1] (born January 29, 1977) is an American politician who is the U.S. representative for California's 12th congressional district since January 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the first member of Congress known to be born legally blind in both eyes, and the first Muslim member from California and outside of the Midwestern United States.[2][3]

She served on the Bay Area Rapid Transit board of directors[4] and on the board of trustees of the California State University system.[5] She served as a trustee of the San Francisco Foundation and president of MeadowFund, a community investment fund created by Patricia Quillin, the wife of Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, and was president of Akonadi Foundation, an organization focused on racial justice in Oakland, California.[6][7] In 2003, she became the youngest woman to receive a MacArthur Fellowship for her leadership of the Center for Young Women's Development (now the Young Women's Freedom Center) in San Francisco at the age of 26.[8][9]

Early life and education

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Simon earned a Bachelor of Arts in public policy at Mills College, where she was the 2017 commencement speaker,[10] a Master of Public Administration from the University of San Francisco, and was a 2014 Social Entrepreneurs-in-Residence Fellow at Stanford University.[11]

Political career

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During the tenure of Kamala Harris as San Francisco District Attorney, Simon led the creation of the city's Back on Track program for young adults charged with low-level felony drug sales.[12] Simon also previously worked as the executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area.

In 2016, Simon was appointed to the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees by Governor Jerry Brown.[13]

Simon was elected to represent the seventh district on the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) board of directors in 2016.[14] Her motivations for running included her reliance on BART, as someone who is legally blind and unable to drive.[15] In 2020, she was elected president of the board of directors.[14]

In 2022, BART officials announced that Simon had been removed from the board after it was determined that her residence lay outside District 7, making her ineligible to represent the district. Simon stated that she had moved due to threats against her family stemming from her advocacy on police reform, and that she had been assured by BART staff prior to moving that the new residence was within district boundaries. She described the outcome as “deeply disappointing.”[16]

Later that month, BART reversed its decision and reinstated Simon to the board. [17]

Elections

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Lateefah Simon at the Oakland Pride Parade during her campaign for Congress

U.S. House of Representatives

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2024 election

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In February 2023, Simon announced that she was running for California's 12th congressional district.[12] The previous representative for the district, Barbara Lee, did not seek re-election to the seat and instead ran as a candidate in the 2024 United States Senate election in California. On November 2, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom endorsed Simon's candidacy.[18] Simon defeated CSU East Bay professor Jennifer Tran, a fellow Democrat, in the November general election.[19]

Committee assignments

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For the 119th Congress:[20]

Caucus memberships

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Political positions

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Simon has positioned herself within the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, supporting policies modeled on European social democracies.[24]

Economic policy

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She has advocated for a federal jobs guarantee, a national minimum wage of at least $15 per hour, universal health care, expanded union protections, and strengthened safety-net programs such as Medicaid and food assistance.[25] She has opposed budgetary cuts to education, health care, and social services while criticizing defense appropriations, pledging to vote against legislation that funds warfare.[26]

Environment

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Simon has aligned with environmental justice groups in California, voicing support for policies aimed at transitioning away from fossil fuels and resisting corporate lobbying from the oil industry.[27]

Foreign policy

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In Congress, Simon has been critical of U.S. military intervention and funding of foreign conflicts. She has called for reductions in defense spending and a reorientation of federal resources toward domestic welfare, health care, and education. [28]

China

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Simon has opposed tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese imports, describing them as harmful to working families by driving up consumer prices. She has framed tariff policy as a form of “economic sabotage” that burdens households while failing to address structural inequalities.[29]

Israel–Palestine

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Simon has been outspoken in her criticism of Israeli military operations in Gaza and U.S. financial and military support for them. She described Israeli actions against Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid as “devastating, deplorable, and unacceptable,” and stated that the United States has been complicit in civilian deaths.[30] She has characterized the situation in Gaza as a humanitarian crisis marked by famine and civilian suffering, urging an end to U.S.-backed violence and restrictions on aid delivery.[31]

Personal life

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Simon is the mother of two children.[11] Simon's husband, Kevin Weston, was a recognized journalist and activist who died from leukemia in 2014.[32] She is Muslim and legally blind.[33][34]

Electoral history

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California's 12th congressional district, 2024[35][36]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lateefah Simon 86,031 55.9
Democratic Jennifer Tran 22,999 14.9
Democratic Tony Daysog 17,222 11.2
Republican Stephen Slauson 9,710 6.3
Democratic Glenn Kaplan 6,799 4.4
Democratic Eric Wilson 4,252 2.8
Democratic Abdur Sikder 2,857 1.9
Republican Ned Nuerge 2,535 1.6
Democratic Andre Todd 1,632 1.1
Total votes 154,037 100.0
General election
Democratic Lateefah Simon 185,176 65.4
Democratic Jennifer Tran 97,849 34.6
Total votes 283,025 100.0
Democratic hold

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ "Rep. Lateefah Simon - D California, 12th - Biography". LegiStorm. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  2. ^ Michaels, Samantha. "Lateefah Simon, on track to be a new House Dem: "I've never shied away from any fight"". Mother Jones. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  3. ^ "CAIR Action Congratulates Lateefah Simon on Historic Victory as First Muslim Elected to Congress from California". CAIR Action. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  4. ^ "Board of Directors | Bay Area Rapid Transit". February 1, 2024. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  5. ^ "Lateefah Simon". November 13, 2017. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  6. ^ "Lateefah Simon, President". Akonadi Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2017.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "This High Achiever Aims Higher Still | University of San Francisco". USFCA.edu. January 20, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  8. ^ "Three Blacks Named MacArthur Fellows for 2003 Awarded $500,000 'Genius Grants'". Jet. October 27, 2003. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Lateefah Simon". MacArthur Foundation. October 5, 2003. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  10. ^ "Civil Rights Advocate Lateefah Simon to Deliver Mills College Commencement Address". Mills College. March 22, 2017. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
  11. ^ a b "About Lateefah". Lateefah for BART. Archived from the original on May 22, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  12. ^ a b Garofoli, Joe (February 28, 2023). "BART director, criminal justice reformer Lateefah Simon launches campaign for East Bay House seat". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  13. ^ "Lateefah Simon". The California State University. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Lateefah Simon". Bay Area Rapid Transit. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  15. ^ "Lateefah Simon seeks inspiration in promises made". SFGate. January 6, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  16. ^ Burbank, Keith (February 28, 2023). "BART board director Lateefah Simon announces bid for Congress". KTVU FOX 2. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  17. ^ Brekke, Dan (March 23, 2022). "BART Reverses Course, Says Lateefah Simon Remains on Board of Directors | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  18. ^ "Gavin Newsom endorses Lateefah Simon in race to fill Barbara Lee's House seat". The Washington Examiner. November 2, 2023.
  19. ^ "Lateefah Simon wins California's 12th Congressional District seat, succeeding longtime Rep. Barbara Lee - CBS San Francisco". CBS News. November 8, 2024.
  20. ^ "Rep. Simon Appointed to House Committees on Small Business and Oversight". United States Congresswoman Lateefah Simon. January 14, 2025.
  21. ^ "CAPAC Welcomes New Members for the 119th Congress | Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)". capac.house.gov. February 7, 2025. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  22. ^ "Congressional Black Caucus". cbc.house.gov. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  23. ^ "Caucus Members". Congressional Progressive Caucus. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  24. ^ "Progressives tap a rising star to deliver their response to Trump". POLITICO. February 26, 2025. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  25. ^ Gardiner, Dustin; Jones, Blake (March 5, 2025). "Lateefah Simon rips Trump — and mod Dems". POLITICO. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  26. ^ "Lateefah Simon". Meet the Freshmen. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  27. ^ Fund, Center Action (February 6, 2024). "Environmental Groups Endorse Lateefah Simon for Congress". Center Action Fund. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  28. ^ Wires, KQED News Staff and (June 22, 2025). "'I'm Furious': Bay Area Leaders Criticize Trump for Foregoing Congress on Iran Strikes | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  29. ^ Gardiner, Dustin; Jones, Blake (March 5, 2025). "Lateefah Simon rips Trump — and mod Dems". POLITICO. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  30. ^ Lim, Samantha (July 21, 2025). "Bay Area Leaders Express Outrage at 'Unacceptable' Conditions in Gaza | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  31. ^ "Congresswoman Simon Votes Against the Department of Defense Funding Bill | Representative Lateefah Simon". simon.house.gov. July 19, 2025. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  32. ^ "Bay Area media pioneer Kevin Weston dead at 45". The Mercury News. June 18, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  33. ^ Kukura, Joe (March 6, 2024). "Lateefah Simon Commands Huge Lead in Primary Race for Barbara Lee's House Seat". SFist. Archived from the original on January 2, 2025. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
  34. ^ Owens, Donna (March 19, 2024). "Meet the woman Rep. Barbara Lee literally passed the congressional baton to". NBCBLK. NBC News. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  35. ^ "Statement of Vote" (PDF). sos.ca.gov. Sacramento: Secretary of State of California. 2024. p. 82. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 18, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  36. ^ "Statement of Vote" (PDF). sos.ca.gov. Sacramento: Secretary of State of California. 2024. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 30, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  37. ^ "Jefferson Award, presented to Lateefah Simon". SFGate. October 19, 2007. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012.
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 12th congressional district
2025–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
424th 		Succeeded by