LaTonya Tate

LaTonya A. Tate (born in Birmingham) is a former nurse, retired parole officer, and founder of the Alabama Justice Initiative.

Tate grew up in the North Birmingham community where she currently resides. Her father, the late Clifford Hatcher, a Collegeville native, was a retired cabinet maker in Oxnard, California, and her mother, Barbara J. Tate, worked and retired from the U.S. Postal Service.

Tate attended McArthur Elementary School and graduated from Phillips High School, where she was a member of the Marching Red Raider band. She went on to attend Jacksonville State University, then transferred to the licensed practical nursing program at Bevill State Community College. Tate worked as a medical clerk and pharmacy technician for the Jefferson County Department of Health before changing careers. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice administration from the University of Phoenix where she obtained her and security.

Tate worked as a probation and parole officer for the Florida Department of Corrections for another decade before to retiring in 2014. While in Florida she spent a year teaching GED classes to inmates through Northwest Florida State College. She continues to work as a probation and parole consultant in Alabama and launched the "Parole Education Preparation Project". She is an an active member of many social justice organizations, such as Alabamians For Fair Justice and Alabama Forward.

Tate was awarded a Soros Justice Fellowship through Open Society-U.S. in 2018. In December of that year she founded the Alabama Justice Initiative (AJI), a nonprofit social justice organization that works on criminal justice reform and policy initiatives. AJI also offers an ACLU-sponsored "Reimagining Justice" fellowship to train activists in the legislative process. She co-founded the Southeastern Justice Network, and serves on the boards of several other organizations.

In 2020 Tate completed a master's in public administration from Grand Canyon University and also graduated from Emerge Alabama, which trains progressive women to run for public office. In the 2021 Birmingham municipal election she challenged incumbent John Hilliard for the District 9 seat on the Birmingham City Council. As a candidate she promises to work toward criminal justice reform, neighborhood investment, economic development and education. She is endorsed by the Washington DC-based Elect Black Women PAC.

Tate has one son, TaDarrius, and one granddaughter. She attends 25th Avenue Baptist Church.

References

• Dunigan, Jonece Starr (October 8, 2018) "Birmingham mother selected as part of $1.4 million effort to reform criminal justice system" The Birmingham News
• Melson, Sydney (September 17, 2020) "How LaTonya Tate Became One of Alabama's Top Voices on Criminal Justice Reform" The Birmingham Times

External links

• LaTonya Tate campaign website
• LaTonya A. Tate on Linkedin.com