WA State Rep says she was fired by criminal justice nonprofit for being too 'white presenting'

A representative to the Washington State Legislature who has served time in prison has been ousted from a criminal justice nonprofit she founded after allegedly having been criticized for being too “white-presenting” to lead the organization.

According to KUOW, in 2015, Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-Bremerton) started Civil Survival to provide legal services and advocacy to help felons after being released from prison. The group is the beneficiary of private donations and state contracts. On July 15 when she was terminated, Simmons was the “founding director” of the organization.

Simmons told the outlet, “They’ve canceled me from my own organization that I birthed and grew. I do think at the root of it is people who are wanting more power, and all the money I’ve raised.” Matt Macklin, Simmons’ attorney, said the organization’s board of directors discriminated and retaliated against Simmons in an attempt to “hijack” the nonprofit.

Simmons, who is Latina and white, told the outlet that she was criticized by individuals in the nonprofit for being too “white-presenting” to lead the organization. She told the outlet that she “experienced more racial discrimination than anybody.”

One of the group’s former employees, Castill Hightower, told KUOW that Simmons made disparaging comments about a lack of support from black-led organizations, accusations that Simmons disputes.

Simmons told the outlet that following the incident, she filed a claim of racial discrimination. The board placed Simmons on voluntary administrative leave and advised staff not to contact Simmons while an independent investigator assessed the incident. Simmons told KUOW that in December, she received a settlement from Civil Survival following her claim of racial discrimination and was awarded a new contract extending into 2025. At the same time, she accepted a part-time job at another nonprofit Equity in Education Coalition as its director of strategy.

However, in May, she lost her access to Civil Survival's credit card, and her email account was suspended after she was terminated in July. Simmons’ attorney claims she was “blindsided” by the termination and plans to file a lawsuit alleging discrimination, unlawful termination and breach of contract against Civil Survival.

A group of nonprofits, including Equity in Education Coalition, as well as formerly incarcerated people, are asking Civil Survival not to fire Simmons and signed an open letter asking for the nonprofit “to engage in a restorative and healing process” with her.

Simmons, who is seeking a third term in the state House, has said that her advocacy for those convicted of crimes stems from being sentenced in 2011 to 30 months in prison for drug-related crimes.

She previously attempted to pass legislation that would allow felons, including serial killers, to vote, serve on a jury and even run for office while incarcerated and also sponsored House Bill 2177, which would require a victim of a sex offense to serve with a sex offender on a board along with other representatives.

Before the last session of the Legislature, she pre-filed a bill that would have given judges clemency powers to unilaterally decide to reduce sentences for violent offenders years later, even if the facts of a case have not changed. In 2023, Simmons was unsuccessful in passing a bill to reduce penalties for drive-by shootings in order to promote "racial equity."