Lateefah Simon, a formidable advocate for civil rights and social justice with a rich 25-year history in community organizing, embarked on her journey at age 16 as an outreach coordinator for the Young Women’s Freedom Center. Despite becoming a young single mother at 18, she defied societal expectations and assumed the role of Executive Director for YWFC at 19, earning national acclaim for her decade-long advocacy on behalf of marginalized young women. In 2003, at just 26, Lateefah became the youngest woman to receive a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship.
Chosen by then-San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, she spearheaded the groundbreaking Back on Track initiative, addressing anti-recidivism for young adults charged with low-level offenses. Lateefah’s impactful leadership extended to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, the Rosenberg Foundation, and the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors, where she prioritized making public transportation more affordable for working families.
A trailblazer and strategic thinker, Lateefah Simon’s influence spans diverse spheres. In addition to being appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the California State University Board of Trustees, she graduated from Mills College with a B.A. in Public Policy and later earned her MPA from the University of San Francisco. Leading the Akonadi Foundation as president in 2016, she continued to shape the landscape of racial justice.
Appointed as a senior advisor on police reform for Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020, Lateefah’s commitment to transformative change is further evidenced by her roles on the boards of the San Francisco Foundation, Rosenberg Foundation, Tipping Point Foundation, and advisory positions with Human Rights Watch U.S. and Oxfam. Her holistic and tireless efforts exemplify a lifelong dedication to creating a more just and equitable society.