Jessica Matthew

Jessica Matthew

Delegate run

In 2019 Jessica Matthew ran for a delegate seat in District 28.

I was born and raised in the South Bay. I have watched our community evolve over the years. I have seen the rise of income inequality, which when mixed with a lack of affordable housing makes it ever more difficult to live here. I’ve seen our government continue to fail the people over and over again. They fail to protect the most vulnerable among us. I want to be part of changing that. My passion for civic issues sparked when I became an AmeriCorps member. In AmeriCorps, I volunteered full time at a food bank in San Jose, serving primarily low income individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, I was also the coordinator for their Meals on Wheels program. It was during that time that I realized what I wanted to do with the rest of my life – continue to fight for the people in our community. The political climate around the election of 2016 was the catalyst for me joining the Democratic Socialists of America. As an elected officer in the Silicon Valley chapter of DSA, I organized events to support the Marriott hotel workers on strike for better treatment and wages, raised funds to put together ‘Period Packs to hand out to our unhoused neighbors, and rallied our members to protest the inhumane acts of ICE. I have gathered signatures for Prop 12, canvassed for Prop 10, and helped our chapter endorse progressive candidates and ballot measures.