Jovanka Beckles – Senate District 7

Endorsed candidate

Political Party - Democrat

Ballot Designation

AC Transit Director

Law Enforcement Contributions

None as of 8/23/24

Background

Jovanka Beckles is a Black Panamanian immigrant and openly queer elected official who was on the Richmond City Council. She worked in public health for many years as a mental health clinician and prior to serving on City Council was appointed to the Richmond Economic Development Commission and the City Planning Commission. In 2020, Beckles was also elected to the AC Transit Board.

Public Safety Platform

Jovanka Beckles is a candidate endorsed by IJ Action due to her strong commitment to justice reform and investment in her community. In her questionnaire, she stated support for important policies such as ending sentencing enhancements, closing more prisons, improving our reentry systems, and investing in more alternatives to incarceration. She also supports ending the death penalty and LWOP, as well as repealing the Three Strikes Law.

Beckles also articulated a strong need to invest in root causes of crime, stating: “The reality is that we have all just lived through several years of a pandemic whose effect, especially on the poorest have been harshest, not only in simple economics, but in terms of mental health, and addiction which have led to rise in car break-ins as well as headline grabbing crimes like mass-theft. The answer we found in Richmond was in Banning the Box, increasing affordable housing, and raising the minimum wage significantly, which brought Richmond off the ten most dangerous/high crime cities in America. A socio-economic policy of regrowth for the most marginalized halts crimes, and saves costs in hospitals, prosecutions, services, and more.”

In addition to IJ Action, Beckles has secured the endorsements of other progressive organizations and leaders such as the Working Families Party, Courage CA, Senator Bernie Sanders, Congressmember Ro Khanna, Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, and progressive Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price.

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