Jovanka Beckles
Member of the
AC Transit Board of Directors
from Ward 1
Assumed office
December 4, 2020
Preceded byJoe Wallace
Member of the
Richmond City Council
In office
2010–2018
Personal details
Born1963 (1963)
Panama City, Panama
Political partyDemocratic
Other political
affiliations		Democratic Socialists of America
SpouseNicole Valentino
EducationFlorida A&M University (BA)
University of Phoenix (MBA)

Jovanka Beckles (born 1963) is an American politician serving as a member of the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit Board for Ward 1. She previously served as a member of the Richmond City Council.

Early life, education, and career

Beckles was born in Panama City, Panama and immigrated to the United States with her family in 1972. She attended Florida A&M University on a full basketball scholarship, and graduated cum laude in 1988 with a BA degree in Psychology. She later earned an MBA degree from the University of Phoenix. She moved to the Bay Area in 1989 and worked as a counselor, youth educator, housing case manager for the homeless, and mental health specialist.[1]

Political career

Richmond City Council

In 2008 she first ran for the Richmond City Council as part of the Richmond Progressive Alliance and lost. She ran again in 2010 and won, and in 2014 she was reelected despite Chevron spending $3 million on opposing candidates,[2] and became vice mayor. She was Richmond's first openly lesbian councilwoman.[3]

During her time on the City Council, Beckles worked on implementing rent control in Richmond.[4] She voted against or abstained on several proposals to build housing in Richmond.[5]

Campaign for California State Assembly

In 2018, she ran for California State Assembly in the 15th District to replace Tony Thurmond, who chose to run for California State Superintendent of Public Instruction.[6] She was endorsed by fellow Richmond City Councilmember (and former mayor) Gayle McLaughlin, former Black Panther Ericka Huggins, Senator Bernie Sanders, the Sierra Club, SEIU 1021, Our Revolution, and the Democratic Socialists of America. She took second place in the June 12 primary, but lost to Buffy Wicks in the general election.[7]

During the campaign, Beckles said she wanted to retain local control over housing, "I really think that cities need to be able to have more control in terms of building, because they know best."[8] On housing, she argued that cities like San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley are "building lots of new housing" but that the problem is that the housing is not affordable. She added, "I don't think that we have a housing crisis. I think that we have an affordable housing crisis."[8] She called for a repeal of the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which would enable cities in California to expand rent control.[8]

AC Transit Board

On July 18, 2020, Beckles announced she would run for AC Transit Board in Ward 1 against 20-year incumbent Joe Wallace.[9] Her platform included keeping transit fare-free and strengthening labor rights for transit workers.[10] She won the general election with 50% of the vote, defeating Wallace and a third candidate, Ben Fong. She was sworn in on December 4, 2020.[11]

Campaign for California State Senate

In 2023, Beckles announced she would run for California State Senate in the 7th District to replace Nancy Skinner, who is term-limited.[12]

Personal life

Beckles is openly lesbian. She married Nicole Valentino in 2013.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Full Biography for Jovanka D. Beckles". Smart Voter. September 26, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  2. ↑ Jones, Carolyn (November 5, 2014). "Chevron's $3 million backfires in Richmond election". SFGATE. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  3. ↑ Jones, Carolyn (August 4, 2014). "Richmond councilwoman perseveres through hate speech". SFGATE. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  4. ↑ Carson, Lynda (July 7, 2015). "Richmond City Council to consider rent control proposal at meeting". ABC7 News. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  5. ↑ Wiener, Aaron (2019). "Is Bernie Sanders a NIMBY?". Mother Jones.
  6. ↑ Edevane, Gillian (May 4, 2017). "Richmond City Councilmember Jovanka Beckles Announces Run for State Assembly". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ Marzorati, Guy (November 7, 2018). "Buffy Wicks Defeats Jovanka Beckles in East Bay Assembly Race". KQED. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "Here's How East Bay Assembly Candidates Jovanka Beckles and Buffy Wicks Differ on Housing Issues". KQED. 2018-07-28.
  9. ↑ "Campaign Launch: Jovanka Beckles for AC Transit Board". East Bay DSA. July 18, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Platform". Jovanka Beckles for AC Transit Board 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  11. ↑ Laird, Cynthia (December 4, 2020). "Beckles sworn in on AC Transit board". The Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  12. ↑ Bajko, Matthew S. (April 5, 2023). "Political Notebook: List of LGBTQ 2024 CA legislative candidates expands". The Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  13. ↑ Goodwin, June; Schiff, Ben (March 30, 2018). "Jovanka will bring people power from Richmond to the California Assembly". San Francisco Bay View. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
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