Photo credit: Jamo Muhammad
Editor’s Note: As the San Francisco’s District 10 Supervisor race continues to take shape, voters are hearing a wide range of ideas about housing, public safety, economic opportunity, environmental justice, and the future of Bayview–Hunters Point and neighboring communities.
Few candidates, however, point to as many years of grassroots organizing as Jamo Muhammad. Known in District 10 for his decades of community involvement, Muhammad says his decision to seek public office did not grow out of political ambition, but from a belief that his lived experience and long-standing service can help shape the district’s future.
To give readers an opportunity to hear directly from the candidate, Journalist Malik Washington posed seven questions focusing on leadership, community accountability, environmental justice, youth investment, and economic development. Muhammad’s responses are presented below.
FROM COMMUNITY ACTIVIST TO POLICYMAKER
Malik Washington: For years, District 10 residents have seen you mentoring young people, attending community meetings, and responding to violence long before television cameras arrived. Now, you’re asking voters to consider you for District 10 Supervisor. What led you to seek elected office?
Jamo Muhammad: Rather than asking voters to simply elect me, I’m asking them to seriously consider whether my lifetime of community work represents the kind of leadership they want for District 10. For more than thirty years I’ve quietly served this city and these neighborhoods because I love them—not because it was my job.
When I looked at the field of candidates, I personally didn’t see anyone who reflected what I believe is the heart and soul of our community. That realization convinced me that perhaps I needed to step forward.
I believe leadership inspires movement in others. My grassroots experience isn’t something separate from this campaign—it is the foundation of it. If elected, I believe it will allow me to amplify the voices of District 10 residents and continue serving the community I’ve grown to love.
PUBLIC SAFETY BEYOND POLICE RESPONSE
Malik Washington: You’ve worked directly with families affected by violence for many years. What do you believe City Hall still doesn’t understand?
Jamo Muhammad: We have to begin by understanding what our children have experienced.
Many have grown up without fathers in the home. Others have lost loved ones to violence or have lived with addiction inside their own families. Those experiences leave lasting wounds.
I was blessed to be raised by my great-grandmother, Elouise Westbrooks, after my sister and I were taken in as young children. She filled a void that many children today don’t have someone to fill.
After attending the Million-Man March in 1995, I made a personal commitment to return home and help my community. That’s why I started what has now become “WE GOT WINNERS!”—a mentoring effort focused on being present for young people whose parents or loved ones are no longer there.
We have to stop saying we care and begin showing that we care.
ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND BLACK OWNERSHIP
Malik Washington: Billions of dollars have flowed into redevelopment projects throughout District 10, yet many longtime residents feel excluded from the resulting economic opportunities.
Jamo Muhammad: More investment is still coming, and that creates both opportunity and responsibility.
We have to prepare our own people to participate in those opportunities. A well-informed community has the potential to become a well-prepared community.
I also believe barriers remain that continue limiting the economic advancement of District 10 residents. Those disparities deserve much greater public attention.
Most importantly, we have to rebuild the culture of doing business with one another. We should be producing goods and services within our own community whenever possible. That mindset is essential if we want to build lasting economic strength.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND THE HUNTERS POINT SHIPYARD
Malik Washington: District 10 families have lived for decades with concerns about contamination at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. What role should a Supervisor play?
Jamo Muhammad: I want people to learn about Chris Carpenter, a friend of mine who became known as a whistleblower after speaking publicly about what he witnessed while working at the Shipyard.
I helped bring his story forward, and many community organizations joined together to educate residents about the issues surrounding contamination.
I also remember advocating for a temporary halt to work so the health impacts on residents could be properly assessed. That proposal ultimately did not move forward.These conversations remain important today.
If the people most affected are members of the community, then I believe they should absolutely have a seat at the table. I support independent community oversight because no one understands the pain and concerns of residents better than the residents themselves.
INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION
Malik Washington: How do we create more opportunities for District 10’s young people?
Jamo Muhammad: We have to be willing to go where the need is.
Too often organizations say they care, but when neighborhoods face their greatest challenges, many aren’t present.
I’ve always believed real leadership means entering those spaces, building relationships, exposing young people to different possibilities, and helping others see them as part of the solution rather than the problem.
That’s how communities begin to change.
ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER ELECTION DAY
Malik Washington: Residents often say elected officials become difficult to reach after they’re elected. How would your leadership be different?
Jamo Muhammad: A Supervisor should be both visible and accessible.
Accountability isn’t simply listening to complaints. It’s creating a working relationship with residents so we solve problems together.
Leadership also means empowering others. None of this work can be accomplished alone.
Photo credit: Jamo Muhammad
WHY JAMO MUHAMMAD?
Malik Washington: What separates you from the other candidates in this race?
Jamo Muhammad: My answer is my record.
I’ve spent more than thirty years serving this community without being paid to do so. My commitment wasn’t built around a government position or a nonprofit salary. It grew out of gratitude for what my own community gave me.
When my great-grandmother took me in as a child, she changed the course of my life. I have always viewed my community work as repaying that debt.
Ultimately, the voters will decide. But I hope they will judge me by the consistency of my service and by the relationships I’ve built over decades.
LOOKING AHEAD
District 10 voters will have the opportunity in November 2026 to evaluate competing visions for the future of Bayview–Hunters Point, Potrero Hill, Visitacion Valley, Sunnydale, and the district’s surrounding neighborhoods.
Through this continuing interview series, Destination Freedom Media Group seeks to give every candidate an opportunity to explain their priorities in their own words, allowing residents to make informed decisions based on each candidate’s vision, experience, and plans for the community.
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