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Shakirah Simley
Executive Director, Booker T. Washington Community Service Center
Shakirah Simley is the Executive Director of the Booker T. Washington Community Service Center (BTWCSC) in San Francisco, a position she has held since July 2021.4 At 39 years old, she became the youngest executive director in the center's 105-year history.3
Simley is a seasoned organizer, community development strategist, and policy expert with over 15 years of experience in social justice and equity issues.24 She previously served as the inaugural Director of the Office of Racial Equity for the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.14
Under Simley's leadership, BTWCSC has seen significant growth:
- The center's operating budget increased from $1.4 million to $7.2 million
- Staff size quadrupled from 7 to 28 employees3
Simley oversees a 72,000 square-foot mixed-use facility that includes:
- A childcare center
- A gymnasium
- Community center with social service programs
- 50 units of service-enriched affordable housing4
The center serves about 5,000 San Francisco residents annually, providing various services such as childcare, senior wellness programs, after-school tutoring, housing stabilization for homeless families, and more.3
Simley's background includes:
- Born and raised in Harlem, New York
- Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania
- Fulbright Scholar to Italy
- Former food artisan and food justice advocate
- Has lived in San Francisco for over 13 years2
Her commitment to social justice and community service is deeply rooted in her family background, with her mother being a social worker and her grandmother a former Black Panther.23
Highlights
Hi fam - lifting my head up to announce that I've been selected as the 2023 winner of San Francisco Foundation’s Phyllis K. Friedman – Retha Smith Robinson Community Leadership Award! Please see the article below from Ling Woo Liu which beautifully shares some of my history & path.The award is named after two incredible women - the daughter of Daniel E. Koshland Sr. (SFF’s co-founder), and Retha Robinson, longtime SFF staff member and director of SFF’s Koshland Program. In 2023, this award recognized an emerging woman-of-color leader under 40 in San Francisco.Words cannot fully describe how overwhelmingly grateful and excited I am to have been chosen, have a bit of wind in my sails AND honor two incredible legacies. It's been a whirlwind three years here at Booker T. Washington Community Service Center and I am so proud of our AMAZING team and our impact. We envision a just SF with care, dignity and radical love for all. I've learned SO much and know we have so much more to go.To do this work requires a strong backbone, clear head and big heart, and THANK YOU to my husband, my family, my friends, our community partners, my mentors and chosen family to keeping me grounded and upright. <3 k back to the grind! Article here: https://lnkd.in/gCR5NmYY
Hey all, Booker T. Washington Community Service Center is hiring! We offer full benefits, competitive non-profit salary, a beautiful place to work and to make a difference in the lives of our beloved community. Check out https://lnkd.in/g9iNUYjd for our current job listings - we will likely have new positions open in a couple weeks. Feel free to share with your networks! #hiring
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Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
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