Progressive change for BART
Learn about Lateefah Simon’s work representing riders and workers on the BART Board of Directors.
Leadership through crisis
With Lateefah's guidance and advocacy, BART was able to secure crucial federal and state funding during the pandemic, ensuring employees kept their jobs and infrastructure improvements continued, all while enhancing cleaning and improving safety measures.
Safety for all
Lateefah led the BART board in creating a new Transit Ambassador program, providing a visible presence and more safety for riders without additional police. The agency also partnered with Alliance for Girls to launch the “Not One More Girl” campaign and updated its code of conduct to send a clear message that sexual harassment and gender-based violence has no place on BART.
Social justice
Only two months after taking office, Lateefah introduced the nation’s first sanctuary transit ordinance ensuring BART police would not participate in deportation activity within the system. She has stood with the family of Oscar Grant, leading an effort to call for a new investigation into the 2009 BART police shooting that tragically killed him.
Affordability
Lateefah pushed for and won BART’s first-ever low-income fare discount. And, with Lateefah’s advocacy, BART partnered with Google to provide 20,000 free rides for students using the system for traveling on field trips.
Funding
As an elected transit official, Lateefah strongly advocated for the bipartisan infrastructure law that provided over $100 billion for public transportation – the largest federal investment in public transportation in the nation’s history.