By: Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
With the 2024 state elections approaching, Safiyah Jackson is vying for the North Carolina House District 37 seat in Wake County, which is currently occupied by Republican Erin Paré. This district includes Fuquay-Varina and parts of Holly Springs and Garner, and represents a rapidly growing area of North Carolina.
Jackson’s campaign diverges from the typical political playbook, focusing intently on education, child development, and empowerment within families and communities. Her name has become synonymous with a commitment to early childhood education and enriching local communities.
Raised in a nurturing environment shaped by her grandmother, who worked as a domestic worker, and her middle-class parents, Jackson’s foundation was grounded in the close-knit interactions of her church, school, and neighborhood. These formative experiences fueled her lifelong pursuit of deep and meaningful connections. Jackson’s mother hails from Trinidad while her father’s family participated in the Great Migration, the significant movement of six million African Americans from the rural South to the urban Northeast, Midwest, and West throughout the 20th century.
Her career began in a starkly different arena—marketing and sales at Ford Motor Company—but her passion for early child development and community service propelled her toward a career shift into education and advocacy.
For more than two decades, Jackson advanced early childhood advocacy through leadership roles across diverse sectors, including museums, preschools, family childcare homes, philanthropic organizations, and higher education institutions. She then became the Chief Strategy Officer at The North Carolina Partnership for Children (Smart Start).
Jackson holds Master’s degrees in Business Administration from Florida A&M University and Early Childhood Education, and School Psychology from National Louis University in Chicago. At her campaign kickoff, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper remarked on her educational background, saying, “She’s got more degrees than a thermometer!”
Her decision to pivot her career stemmed from the realization that investing in early childhood yields profound social, economic, and generational benefits—a conviction that continues to drive her work today.
“I knew that, professionally, something was missing. Very quickly, I discovered the science of the early years, and just how pivotal the first five years are to the rest of our lives. It pulled at my sense of purpose and meaning in such a way that I haven’t been able to shake it,” Jackson said.
Jackson acknowledges that the term “daycare” is commonly used to describe care for dependents, whether children or the elderly. However, she advocates for moving away from this term to help shift perceptions about early care. She believes that terms like “early childhood education” better reflect the true purpose of these services, even if they are not yet perfect.
“The reality is that this is not just adults providing oversight, just looking over and babysitting throughout the day, which is what I think daycare elicits,” Jackson said. “When in fact, these early childhood programs are the beginning of our education system — they are the beginning of lifelong opportunities.”
Jackson contends that there is often excessive focus on “K-12” education when discussing investments and opportunities for students. She argues that the first three to five years of a child’s life, before they even enter Kindergarten, are extremely important to their educational development and should be given more emphasis and attention.
“We need more than babysitters. We need folks that are paid sufficiently to curate a nurturing learning environment that sets the child up for success in school and life,” Jackson said. “I am a fierce advocate for early childhood experiences.”
She continued, “I consider my life’s purpose and my life’s work to be a voice for infants and toddlers and preschoolers, and to draw attention to what the science has told us and what the living experience has shown us about children who have access to these nurturing learning environments; where their parents can go to work and make a living wage, but also know that they have a partner in early childhood programs that are supporting the full development of the child”
Investing in the first five years of a child’s life benefits everyone, Jackson asserts. Economically, such investments lead to higher graduation rates, lower incarceration rates, and reduced long-term public support costs. She reflects on the meaning of Frederick Douglass’s 1855 quote, “It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken men,” to underscore the value of early investment.
Additionally, Jackson points out that businesses and industries also gain from quality, affordable early childhood development programs. These programs contribute to decreased employee turnover, enable workers to pursue further education, and result in a more energized and less stressed workforce.
“All of these returns are based on a single idea: that we are intervening from a preventative perspective and a root cause perspective. If we believe that prevention and investment in root causes produce greater returns in the end — that’s the core of all of what I believe,” Jackson said.
She stressed that the benefits extend beyond economic gains to include significant social advantages, particularly from a preventative standpoint. Young children exposed to diverse groups and social interactions learn and grow through these experiences. In an open environment with teachers and peers, they develop important social skills.
This positive social impact can also extend to the parents, who benefit from strong community connections. If families face challenges such as needing food or housing, these relationships with other community members can provide vital support, helping to improve their circumstances and those of their children.
Jackson emphasizes the crucial role early childhood teachers play in this intervention. These educators offer valuable insights to parents on how to communicate with and teach their children, directly support and create opportunities for the children, and assist families in navigating and feeling confident within the school and broader community.
Jackson highlighted the particular challenges faced by Black and Brown families, who may feel uncomfortable or unwelcome in the public education system. The support provided by teachers and staff can be pivotal in shaping and enhancing the development of these families within their communities.
When asked how she can make her ideal educational system a reality, given competing interests and coalitions within the legislature, she said, “Thankfully, there are a number of organizations and groups that are championing all of what I’m saying.”
“There are national organizations like ‘Zero to Three National Center for Infants Toddlers and Families, state organizations like ‘Smart Start’, but also ones like NC Child and the state chamber, who are already carrying forward the message I believe the masses need to hear,” Jackson said. “Aligning and leveraging the already existing relationships is going to be key.”
Jackson said one of the main reasons she decided to run for office is because of recent developments regarding reproductive rights.
“We need to protect those in this country and this state. It all starts with a family’s ability to choose their reproduction,” Jackson said. “First and foremost, we should not be forcing people to have babies. We should be allowing doctors and medical science to give people the choice of whether they want to bring a child into this world because, number one, it’s so expensive. Some people go immediately into poverty simply by having a child.”
Jackson demonstrates her commitment to early childhood development and community engagement, while also showing a deep appreciation for history. She references Benjamin Franklin’s 1735 quote, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” to argue that focusing on our youngest residents is a key indicator of community well-being. She believes that investing in early childhood is a preventative strategy that ultimately benefits the entire community.
Jackson also references the case of Leandro v. State of North Carolina, which upheld every child’s constitutional right to a sound, basic education starting in early childhood. She argues that from educational, legal, or stakeholder perspectives, it is crucial to recognize that learning does not start when children enter Kindergarten. Waiting until then means they have already missed out on significant opportunities for learning during the early years, a period when they are particularly equipped to absorb knowledge about the world.
Regarding the debate over state-funded private school vouchers and the recent controversy surrounding the use of public-school dollars for the program, Jackson calls for a shift in the conversation. “Bottom line, we should not be using public dollars to fund unregulated religious schools. We can’t defund one, and put all the money in another, and then claim that public schools are not doing what they’re supposed to do,” Jackson said.
“However,” she continued, “most early childhood programs are, many of them, are owned by entrepreneurs and private folks… the real problem with the General Assembly is that they’re not looking at it as one pot: they’re taking from one pot and putting it into another pot. And the money they’re putting in the other pot is unregulated, limited, and exclusive.”
In light of other states beginning to restrict cell phone and technology use in public schools, Jackson advocates for a thoughtful discussion on curriculum and standards. She believes that any changes to the learning environment should prioritize quality and be guided by scientific evidence and data, rather than being influenced by bias or arbitrary decisions.
Jackson’s overall mission is to cultivate positive environments for young children from infancy through age eight and beyond.
In addition to her professional focus, she serves on the board of the Raleigh Little Theatre, authors children’s books on civic engagement, and is actively involved in community organizations such as the state and county Democratic parties and the SOAR Collective Giving Circle.
Her dedication to the arts and community service is evident in her personal life, where she enjoys live theater, community festivals, and a diverse range of music.
Safiyah Jackson’s career showcases her dedication to creating supportive environments where both children and families can thrive. Her belief in the critical link between community well-being and the development of its youngest members drives her impactful work and is central to her goals for the North Carolina legislature.
