At age 21, Jael Myrick founded Standing To Represent Our Next Generation (STRONG) to strengthen our young leaders’ civic participation.

From 2009-2014, Jael served as a Field Representative for (then) Assemblymember (now Senator) Nancy Skinner during which time he helped lead the initiative to bring the Clean Slate program to Contra Costa County. Jael was appointed to the Richmond City Council on February 4, 2013. He was elected in his own right in November 2014 and reelected in November 2016. Since joining the Richmond City Council Jael has been integral in establishing programs like the Richmond Promise which guarantees money for College to Richmond youth when they graduate High School and has played a key role in moving forward policies like Fair Chance Housing for people with criminal records. In February 2017, Jael was hired as Program Coordinator for the Clean Slate Practice at the East Bay Community Law Center. In addition to providing direct services to clients, Jael led efforts on behalf of EBCLC and a broad coalition of over a dozen organizations to pass AB 2138 this past year. AB 2138 allows individuals with criminal records the opportunity to access Occupational Licenses under the Department of Consumer Affairs.