Safiyah Jackson

Safiyah Jackson (born ) is an American politician and early childhood education administrator serving as a member of the Wake County Board of Commissioners for the 2nd district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, she was appointed to the board in August 2025 to fill a vacancy and was elected vice chair of the board later that year.

Jackson worked for two decades in early childhood education and nonprofit administration in Chicago and North Carolina. In 2024, she was the Democratic nominee for the North Carolina House of Representatives in District 37, losing to incumbent Erin Paré.

Early life and education Jackson earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from Florida A&M University. She received a Master of Education (M.Ed) in early childhood administration and educational psychology from National Louis University. From 2012 to 2018, Jackson worked at the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership, first as director of training and later as a program officer for early childhood education. She also served as an adjunct professor at National Louis University from 2016 to 2017.

2024 North Carolina House of Representatives campaign In 2024, Jackson ran as the Democratic nominee for the North Carolina House of Representatives in District 37, which includes Fuquay-Varina and parts of Holly Springs and Garner in southern Wake County. Her campaign centered on education and early childhood development.

Wake County Board of Commissioners The Wake County Democrats nominated Jackson in January 2025 to fill the open District 2 seat created when Matt Calabria resigned to lead Governor Josh Stein's recovery office in Western North Carolina. In February, the Wake County Board of Commissioners unanimously appointed Jackson to represent the district. She was sworn in the same day as the board's approval vote. As a commissioner, she chairs the board's Affordable Housing Committee and is a liaison to the Wake County Housing Authority and Passage Home boards. Jackson was unopposed in the Democratic primary for a full term in 2026.

Personal life Jackson lives in unincorporated Wake County, in the Raleigh, North Carolina metropolitan area. She has described herself as the granddaughter of a domestic worker and as having grown up in a family with working parents. She is involved in the Raleigh Little Theatre and has said that her personal interests include theater, live jazz, community festivals, and children's literature.