Sara Jacobs, 31, is one of two Democrats vying for Congresswoman Susan Davis’s seat in California’s 53rd Congressional District.
She worked in the procedure department during the Obama administration, UNICEF’s Office of Innovation unit, and is now founder and chair of San Diego for Every Child, a countywide effort to address childhood poverty.
“With COVID, once we heard schools would be closed we began a series of conversations with the community and set up the COVID-19 Children’s Fund that has helped mobilize more than $55 million in funding for childcare for essential workers and equitable business learning,” she said.
Jacobs said she is running for two main reasons. The first, the loss of 20 years of Rep. Susan Davis’s seniority.
“Even before the current crisis we find ourselves in, I believe the next Congress is going to be making hugely important decisions that would have generational consequences,” she said. “I felt it was important that we have someone who has that kind of experience working in the federal government and has thought deeply about the domestic and international issues that will be facing Congress.”
Jacobs also said a new generation of leaders is needed who will look at old problems with a “new lens.”
Jacobs said leaders are needed to invest in policies with healthcare and is disappointed that another CARES Act package has not passed.
“Families are really struggling right now,” she said. “We need to be getting assistance to small businesses and essential workers and it looks like we cannot expect anything to come out of Washington until after the election.”
