MacArthur Fellow Lateefah Simon has advocated tirelessly on behalf of communities of color, youth, and women since her teenage years.
At age 15, Simon joined the Center for Young Women’s Development (CYWD). At 19, she was appointed executive director of CYWD, becoming one of the nation’s youngest leaders of a social service agency.
During her 11-year tenure, CYWD served approximately 3,500 women per year and hired more than 250 women. CYWD also worked to impact public policy at the state and local levels.
In 2005, she was hired by San Francisco district attorney Kamala D. Harris to lead the office’s Reentry Services division. Simon helped launch and oversaw successful programs such as Changing the Odds and Back on Track.
In addition to the MacArthur Fellowship, Simon has received numerous awards, including the Jefferson Award in 2007. She was named “California Woman of the Year” by the California State Assembly in 2005. In 2009, she was one of 20 women included on Oprah’s Power List.
Simon is a member of the board of directors of the ACLU of Northern California and the Women’s Foundation of California.
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