Mayor Michael Tubbs: Reinventing Stockton

27 year-old Stockton, CA Mayor Michael Tubbs has already made history as both the city’s first African American mayor and the youngest mayor in American history of a city of more than 100,000 people - and he’s just getting started.

He recently made headlines when Stockton became the first city in the nation to pilot a universal basic income program. The Mayor also hopes to use his tenure to reduce violent crime, foster economic development, and partner with local school districts to improve public education.

Mayor Tubbs’ bold leadership and commitment to his community have earned him recognition as one of Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 young stars for 2017 and The Root named him as one of their 100 Most Influential African Americans 2017.

As a member of Stockton’s City Council, Mayor Tubbs founded the Reinvent South Stockton Coalition and played an instrumental role in the planning efforts of the South Stockton Promise Zone. He also served as a college course instructor for Aspire Langston Hughes Academy and as a fellow and lecturer at the Design School at Stanford University.

Mayor Tubbs was born and raised in Stockton to a teenage mother and an incarcerated father, and graduated with honors from Stanford University. During his time as a student, Mayor Tubbs founded both The Phoenix Scholars and the Summer Success and Leadership Academy at the University of the Pacific, which both aim to increase access to higher education for underrepresented students. Mayor Tubbs also interned in the White House and at Google.