Oakland, CA - Lateefah Simon, a 30-year-old sophomore majoring in public policy at Mills College, has received a prestigious 2007 Jefferson Award for extraordinary public service. Established in 1972, the American Institute for Public Service’s Jefferson Award encourages and honors individuals for their achievements and contributions through community and public service on both national and local levels. It recognizes “unsung heroes,” ordinary people performing extraordinary acts without expectations of receiving recognition or reward for their service.

Simon received the local Jefferson Award for her work in developing programs for low-level youth drug offenders. “I am very honored to receive the Jefferson Award for Public Service, and while it’s very gratifying to receive this recognition, I know I have a lot of learning to do,” said Simon. “I am so proud to be a student of public policy because when I leave Mills, I will have the skills I need to really change the world."

Simon will be featured in the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday, October 21, 2007, and CBS TV 5 will air her profile on Friday, October 19, 2007, at 7 am.

Simon recently received the prestigious MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship honoring her exceptional achievements in improving women’s lives. The MacArthur award enabled her to pursue a long-standing dream of enrolling at Mills College. Upon completion of her bachelor’s degree, she plans to enroll in the Mills master’s degree program in public policy, and to eventually run for local office while continuing to pursue her work in public service.

At the age of 18, Simon began reaching out to young women working as prostitutes and drug dealers and experiencing homelessness. She provided approximately 3,500 women per year “tools for getting through the day,” and in 1997 she initiated the Center for Young Women’s Development in San Francisco. The center has a $1.2 million budget, has hired more than 250 girls, and trained former gang members who bring resiliency, foresight, and adaptability into their new lives. Simon eventually trained women from the streets and the juvenile justice system to run the center.

In 2005, Simon was recognized as a “California Woman of the Year” by the California State Assembly and received a Women of Purpose Award from the Women’s Foundation of California, as well as an Intrepid Award from the National Organization for Women.

The Jefferson Award has 150 media partners in 90 communities across the country including major local newspapers, television, and radio stations. Most media partners select an average of five to six winners; some honor a volunteer each month or each week.

Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs to approximately 900 undergraduate women and 500 graduate women and men. Ranked one of the top colleges in the West by U.S. News & World Report and one of the Best 366 Colleges by the Princeton Review, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women's leadership, social responsibility, and creativity. Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California, on 135 lush acres, Mills was recently selected by the New York Times as one of three outstanding California colleges for students to consider.

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