By Post Staff

Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) was ceremonially sworn in on Jan. 7 by her longtime mentor and friend, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Congresswoman Simon was joined by her friends and family in the Vice President’s office at the United States Senate for the ceremony.

“Since our time together in the District Attorney’s office in San Francisco, the Vice President has played an integral role in shaping my public service career, and I have learned so much from her,” said Rep. Simon.

“She has also paved the way for women across the nation like me who aspire to serve their country at the highest levels. It was a special moment to stand with her today, look her in the eye, and begin my journey as the congresswoman for California’s 12th District,” said Simon.

Harris and Simon first met in the late 1990s while Harris was serving as an assistant district attorney in San Francisco and Simon worked at the Young Women’s Freedom Center.

In 2005, then-District Attorney Harris recruited Simon to head the “Back on Track” program, which offered first-time, nonviolent offenders alternatives to incarceration – providing a second chance for participants.

The program became a nationally recognized initiative and the basis for multiple programs across the nation.

Rep. Simon represents California’s 12th Congressional District, which includes the cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Piedmont, and parts of San Leandro.

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