A history of fighting for us
Tarra Simmons is a lawyer, a civil rights activist, and a national leader in the fight for criminal justice reform.
Raised in Bremerton, she has faced some of the biggest barriers to success and opportunity – from poverty, to opioid use disorder and incarceration. It was with the help of this community – friends, family, colleagues and neighbors – and its resilience – that she was able to overcome these circumstances and become a tireless advocate for change.
Tarra doesn’t simply talk about challenges; she has faced them herself. After her incarceration, she experienced firsthand the challenges of re-entry – economic insecurity, housing affordability, and lack of access to healthcare, education, and job skills training. These are big challenges that many people from all walks of life in our community face on a daily basis.
As State Representative, Tarra has been a voice for her community as the State Representative for District 23. She reduced financial burdens for small businesses hardest hit during the pandemic, invested in school support staff and helped reduce the price of life-saving prescription drugs, including insulin. She supported a $17 billion transportation package that includes funding to build hybrid-electric ferries, improve current ferry operations, address staffing shortages, and provide free fares for anyone 18 and under. This transportation package also funded improvements to bike and pedestrian safety, toll relief, and expansions and upgrades to Highway 3.
Tarra is also a co-founder and consultant for several nonprofits that serve formerly incarcerated people with direct reentry supports, develop leadership capacity and build political power. Furthermore, she is a successful small business owner and successful lawyer that continues to invest in the most marginalized communities throughout her district as a fierce advocate for justice.
Tarra has played a key role in advocacy efforts on behalf of her community, focusing on education, healthcare, and income equality. Prior to serving as a State Representative, her activism and leadership helped pass the New Hope Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that streamlines the process for reintegration after incarceration. Since elected, she has passed over ten impactful bills increasing healthcare, housing and opportunity for others while advocating for millions of dollars in investments across the district.
Tarra will never stop fighting for our community and it’s why she’s received awards such as Sen. Patty Murray’s Golden Tennis Shoe Award, the “Woman of Achievement” award from YWCA Kitsap County, the elected official of the year award from the Kitsap County Homelessness Coalition, and Legislator of the Year from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.