Rob AriasDistrict 12 Congresswoman Lateefah Simon made a stop in Emeryville last night for her ongoing town hall tour.
Simon’s district includes all of Emeryville as well as Berkeley, Alameda, Albany, Piedmont, and most of Oakland and San Leandro.
The event drew a crowd of Emeryville residents and advocacy groups, reflecting both local pride and growing national concern. Also in attendance was State Assemblymember Mia Bonta, all five Emeryville City Councilmembers and several members of city staff.
Simon, a former BART Boardmember, moved to Emeryville in 2022 after a mistakenly moving out of her district and briefly being removed from the board before being reinstated. She leveraged her time on the board to elevate her profile and win the congressional seat vacated by Barbara Lee (who incidentally recently won the Oakland Mayoral special election).
Simon used the town hall to rally constituents with a powerful critique of current federal policy, calling on the community to resist what she described as “cruel and dangerous” budget proposals coming from the Republican-led House.
Local Praise, National Stakes
The evening began with welcoming remarks from Assemblymember Mia Bonta and Emeryville Mayor David Mourra, both praising Simon’s commitment to partnership and civic engagement.
“Emeryville punches above its weight,” said Bonta, highlighting the city’s accomplishments in housing and healthcare. “We are very nimble and we do punch above our weight, but there are some things we can’t do fix things like transportation, housing, infrastructure projects,” added 2025 Mayor David Mourra. ”Having a partner in Washington means a lot to us.”
From Personal Tragedy to Political Conviction
Simon opened her remarks by recalling her years living in Emeryville with her late husband, journalist Kevin Weston, who died of leukemia. That experience, she said, reinforced her commitment to fighting for universal healthcare and economic dignity.
“I was bankrupt after Kevin died,” she said. “But I’d do it all again to fight for healthcare for everyone.”
Her tone then shifted to Washington, where she described recent legislative battles as “the Coliseum.” She recounted sleeping overnight in the U.S. Capitol to protest a budget bill that she said slashes benefits for the poor, eliminates reproductive health protections, and weakens federal workers’ rights.
“If you’ve never had to skip insulin, if you’ve never put food back at the grocery store, you shouldn’t be legislating for the poor,” Simon declared, drawing applause.
Fighting for the District
Despite the challenges, Simon reported several legislative accomplishments: co-authoring six bills, sponsoring over 50, and co-signing 275 demand letters. She said her office has returned $1.56 million to constituents and secured $10 million in federal funding.
Simon emphasized her role on the Oversight Committee and Small Business Committee, where she’s working across the aisle when possible. But she warned of Republican efforts to dismantle protections for the working class, immigrants, and the elderly.
“Our democracy is in the ICU,” she said. “But I still have hope—because when we lose hope, there’s nothing left to fight for.”
Centering Youth and Community Voices
A key moment came when a young political science student asked how Simon plans to amplify youth voices. “You are not the future—you are the now,” Simon replied. “You’re paying taxes. Your rights are already being stripped away in many states.”
She encouraged young people to run for office, organize locally, and challenge complacency. “No one is coming to save us,” she said. “It’s up to us.”
Other audience questions covered Medicaid cuts, mental health services, and immigration policy. A psychiatrist spoke about losing crisis resources due to budget threats. Simon responded by pledging to share those stories on the House floor. “They know not what they do,” she said. “We must educate them with our lived experiences.”
Closing: Fight with Love and Dignity
As the event closed, Simon thanked the community for showing up and reiterated her commitment to accessible, constituent-driven representation.
“I didn’t come to Congress to sit at a desk,” she said. “I came to knock on doors and fight with love, dignity, and inclusion.”
Simon encouraged attendees to stay engaged, follow her office’s work, and continue organizing. “We’re going to win,” she said. “But only if we fight together.”
A replay of this town hall is embedded above or can be viewed on C-Span.
Did she mention David Mourra’s drive to replace city owned and relatively new maintenance department pickup trucks and police vehicles with EV powered ones at a significant loss? No wonder Emeryville’s budget is upside down.
Also, did she and Mia Bonta explain why they endorsed foul-mouthed, bombastic, and dismissive Courtney Welch for City Council. No wonder Courtney Welch thinks she can get away with not filing her Form 460 for December 2024. How does Priforce get censured and she gets away with the very things that she voted to censure him for. The whole city hall heard her every word when she was yelling in the closed session. How is it a even a confidential closed session when all discussions are being yelled out by the then Mayor Courtney Welch for every single person in the building to hear how a city manager is selected. People of Emeryville and all elected officials need to learn the truth.