Marqueece Harris-Dawson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marqueece Harris-Dawson
|
|
|---|---|
Dawson in 2024
|
|
| President of the Los Angeles City Council | |
| Assumed office September 20, 2024 |
|
| Preceded by | Paul Krekorian |
| President pro tempore of the Los Angeles City Council | |
| In office June 20, 2023 – September 20, 2024 |
|
| Preceded by | Curren Price |
| Succeeded by | Bob Blumenfield |
| Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 8th district |
|
| Assumed office July 1, 2015 |
|
| Preceded by | Bernard Parks |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 7, 1969 Los Angeles, California U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Morehouse College (BA) |
Marqueece L. Harris-Dawson (born November 7, 1969) is an American politician, currently serving as the president of the Los Angeles City Council since September 20, 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, who has represented the 8th district of the Los Angeles City Council since 2015.
Contents
Early life and education
Marqueece Harris-Dawson grew up in South Los Angeles and was raised in the Black church. He graduated from Morehouse College where he majored in Political Science and Mathematics. He holds a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Stanford's Graduate School of Business and is also an Aspen Institute Pahara Fellow.
Career
Los Angeles City Council
In 2015, Harris-Dawson was elected to represent the Eighth District of Los Angeles, an area home to over 248,000 people, including a significant population of African-American and Latino households. He was elected by 62% of the vote in 2015, ran unopposed in his 2020 campaign, and won by 78% against two other candidates in 2024.
In response to the 2020 George Floyd Uprisings, Harris-Dawson supported a reallocation of LAPD funding for community-led public safety investments. For the first time in LA’s history, $150 million was reallocated from the LAPD budget towards public programming. $4.2 million was allocated to Council District Eight for the office to support 57 South LA organizations through community grants. Harris-Dawson also introduced two police reform policies one exploring an unarmed crisis response program diverting responses from LAPD to mental health professionals and another to develop an unarmed traffic enforcement program in Los Angeles.
Legislative Achievements
Within his first 18 months as a Councilmember, Harris-Dawson authored Proposition HHH, a $1.2 billion bond for permanent supportive housing, marking the largest investment toward ending homelessness in the nation.
Harris-Dawson has introduced various policies to combat homelessness, create quality jobs, clean streets, and encourage community policing. He has leveraged $1.7 billion in federal, state, and Metro funding to address disinvestment and revitalize streetscapes in South LA.
Public safety reform has also been a key initiative of his administration. Following the 2020 George Floyd uprisings, Harris-Dawson co-introduced several legislative efforts calling for police reform, including policies for Unarmed Crisis Response and Unarmed Traffic Enforcement.
Destination Crenshaw
When the Metro train connector to LAX was planned to go above ground, potentially dividing the Crenshaw Corridor, Harris-Dawson saw it as an economic opportunity and a place-keeping strategy. Where the Metro would go above ground he envisioned the first enclave dedicated to the African-American experience in Los Angeles, similar to other cultural districts in the city. This initiative led to the construction of Destination Crenshaw, a 1.3-mile public art museum along the boulevard, featuring notable Los Angeles artists and muralists, to narrate the African American experience in Los Angeles.
Community Safety Partnership
Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson has been a pivotal figure in promoting the Community Safety Partnership (CSP), an initiative aimed at enhancing public safety through a collaborative approach involving community members and law enforcement. Initially launched as a pilot program to address a public safety crisis at a neighborhood recreation center, CSP has evolved into a permanent fixture for the LAPD and the City of Los Angeles. On September 17, 2022 the Harvard Park Community Safety Advisory Council celebrated five years of CSP at Jackie Tatum Harvard Park, highlighting the program's achievements and challenges.
CSP integrates gang interventionists and preventionists via the Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD), offering comprehensive programs targeting all community members, from youth to seniors. This inclusive approach has significantly transformed the neighborhood's atmosphere, eliminating homicides and reducing violent crime by nearly 50% over five years.
Initially launched as a pilot program to address a public safety crisis at a neighborhood recreation center, CSP has evolved into a permanent fixture for the LAPD and the City of Los Angeles. Harris-Dawson’s leadership has been crucial in expanding the program's reach and efficacy, with a particular focus on building relationships and strengthening community ties through relationship-based policing.
The program has been lauded for its success in reducing crime and improving community-police relations. However, it has also faced criticism. Activists, including those from Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles, argue that expanding CSP effectively redirects funds back to the police, rather than investing in alternative community-based services that might address social issues more effectively. Critics claim that while CSP aims to foster trust, many residents still harbor deep mistrust of the police and are concerned about potential mistreatment.
Despite these criticisms, Harris-Dawson remains committed to CSP as part of a broader strategy to reform public safety. He has advocated for leveraging significant federal, state, and local funding to revitalize South LA, addressing disinvestment, and supporting crime prevention through robust partnerships with law enforcement, community organizations, and social service providers. This approach aims to create safe, thriving neighborhoods and enhance public safety, civic participation, and community development in areas like Harvard Park.
Leaked Audio Tapes
In response to the 2022 scandal, then-Councilmember Harris-Dawson introduced and seconded various motions calling for Nury Martinez's removal from the position of council president, the removal of all three council members from their committees, and their censure. He also introduced a motion calling for a charter amendment to strengthen the outcomes of a council censure.
Additionally, he has advocated for an independent redistricting commission by opening up the charter for full reform. The support of an independent redistricting commission will be on the November 2024 ballot.
Leadership Positions
.jpg)
In 2023, the sitting council president pro tempore stepped down from their position due to an embezzlement investigation. The council nominated and unanimously elected Harris-Dawson to fill the position.
In June 2024, Harris-Dawson was unanimously elected, 14-0, to serve as Council President beginning September 20th, 2024.
Awards and Honors
Councilmember Harris-Dawson has received numerous awards, including:
- Do Something "BRICK" Award
- The Wellness Foundation Sabbatical Award
- NAACP Man of Valor Award
- Durfee Foundation's Stanton Fellowship
- Liberty Hill Foundation's Upton Sinclair Award
- InnerCity Struggle Esteban E. Torres Award
- The YMCA Community Champion Award
He also served as a board member for the Liberty Hill Foundation.
Personal Life
Harris-Dawson resides in South Los Angeles with his wife, Karrie. Aside from his work in the nonprofit and public sectors he has an avid interest in history and music. Harris-Dawson is also a longtime vegetarian.
