Yusuf Hakeem facts for kids

Yusuf Hakeem is an American politician who is a member of the Democratic Party. He currently serves in the Tennessee House of Representatives. Before this, he was a member of the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole.

Early Life and Education

Yusuf Hakeem was born on December 5, 1948. He grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1966, he graduated from Howard High School.

After high school, he studied electronics at Chattanooga State Community College. He also attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he focused on economics. Mr. Hakeem is married to Baseemah, and they have four children. He is also a member and deacon at Second Missionary Baptist Church in Chattanooga.

Public Service and Career

Mr. Hakeem has a long history of public service. From 1981 to 1990, he served on the Hamilton County School Board. He also worked for General Electric Corporation before retiring.

From 2006 to 2013, he was a member of the State of Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole.

Serving Chattanooga City

Yusuf Hakeem served on the Chattanooga City Council for District 9 for many years. His first term was from 1990 to 2006. He returned to the council from 2013 to 2017.

During his time on the City Council, he started the Chattanooga Youth Council. This program is now known as the Mayor's Youth Council. It helps young people get involved in their community. Sixteen schools in the area take part in this important program.

Community Involvement

Yusuf Hakeem is very active in his community. Here are some of the groups he has worked with:

• He has been the Chairman of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center since 2016.
• He is a Life Member and Board Member of the Chattanooga NAACP.
• He serves on the Board of the Chattanooga/Hamilton County Railroad Authority.
• He is Chairman of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County North Georgia Transportation Planning Organization.
• He was a Board member of the Challenger Space Center Chattanooga (NASA).
• He was also a Board member of the Chattanooga Community Impact Fund.
• He served on the Board of the Fortwood Center.

Entering State Politics

In 2018, Yusuf Hakeem decided to run for the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 28. The representative who was retiring, JoAnne Favors, supported him. She said he was "the right person for the job" because of his experience.

He won the Democratic primary election on August 2, 2018. Then, on November 6, 2018, he won the main election, becoming the new representative.

Important Issues

Yusuf Hakeem has clear views on several important issues for Tennessee.

Gun Laws

In 2019, he voted "no" on a bill that would have created an "enhanced" permit to carry a concealed weapon. This shows his stance on gun laws.

Healthcare

Mr. Hakeem believes in making healthcare better for everyone. He supports expanding public healthcare programs. He also wants to lower the cost of prescription medicines. He believes in giving more money to local health centers. He voted "nay" on a bill to change state Medicaid funding.

Education

Education is very important to Yusuf Hakeem. He supports fully funding the Basic Education Program in Tennessee. He has said that he wants to improve Tennessee's "broken testing system." He believes teachers should have more control in the classroom.

Helping Families and Communities

Mr. Hakeem's goal is to create an economy that helps everyone, not just a few. He wants to make sure that people who work hard do not have to live in poverty. He has voted against bills that he believes would not help families. For example, he voted "nay" on HB 1151, which aimed to expand the offense of public indecency to certain public spaces.