District B

About the Council Member

Council Member Tarsha Jackson was born and raised in Houston, where she spent her formative years in Acres Homes, Greenspoint, and North Forest. She raised her children here, went to school here, and has been fighting for the people of District B for more than two decades.

Tarsha’s journey into public service began as a mother and advocate. While raising two young boys and working as a mortgage lender, her life changed forever when her oldest son, Marquieth—who has special needs—was arrested at just ten years old for a classroom disruption. He was sentenced to three and a half years in juvenile detention for an offense that should have been handled at school. That experience opened Tarsha’s eyes to the harsh realities of a system that too often criminalizes children instead of helping them.

Determined that no other family should endure what hers did, Tarsha became a fierce advocate for juvenile justice reform. She co-founded Texas Families of Incarcerated Youth in 2004 and helped lead a statewide campaign that resulted in the passage of Texas Senate Bill 103 (2007)—a landmark reform that prohibits jailing children for minor misdemeanors. Her leadership and testimony helped change laws, systems, and lives across Texas.

In 2011, Tarsha was awarded a Soros Justice Fellowship, where she led a national project to engage communities in reducing the number of children entering the justice system. Through her work with Justice for Families, she co-produced the groundbreaking National Families Report, which amplified the voices of families directly impacted by the system and called for reform grounded in compassion, prevention, and opportunity.

In 2013, Tarsha joined the Texas Organizing Project (TOP) as its Harris County Director, where she launched the organization’s first criminal-justice campaign after the death of Sandra Bland. Under her direction, TOP expanded its work on criminal-justice reform, affordable housing, immigration, and economic equity. Her advocacy has touched countless lives through efforts to end racial disparities, support fair recovery after natural disasters, and amplify the voices of Houston’s most overlooked communities.

In December 2020, Tarsha was elected to serve as the Houston City Council Member for District B, and in November 2023, she was re-elected to a second term. As Council Member, she continues to lead with the same conviction that fueled her advocacy—turning pain into purpose. Her priorities for District B center on addressing long-standing inequities: flooding, illegal dumping, poor infrastructure, lack of economic development, and poverty. She is deeply focused on rebuilding neighborhoods, improving public safety and quality of life, expanding workforce opportunities, and ensuring equitable investment across the district.

In 2017, Tarsha founded the Urban Community Network (UCN), a nonprofit organization that provides families of at-risk and system-impacted youth with the resources and support they need to thrive. Through UCN, she launched BeSuccessful in 2022—her flagship workforce and empowerment initiative that has since connected more than 1,500 residents to jobs, skills training, and career pathways. BeSuccessful unites employers, training partners, and community organizations to provide second-chance opportunities, mentorship, and wraparound support for Houston residents seeking a better future.

Her advocacy and leadership have earned recognition both locally and nationally, including the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Natalie S. Bimel Award, the Soros Justice Fellowship, the Texas Observer’s Tyrant’s Foe Award, the American Leadership Criminal Justice Fellowship, and the Bill of Rights Defense Commission’s Patriot Award for her years-long campaign to uplift families’ voices in reform movements.

In May 2023, Tarsha graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Political Science from Texas Southern University. She currently resides in Greenspoint, continuing to serve her community with the same faith, resilience, and determination that have defined her life’s mission.

At the heart of everything she does is a simple, powerful belief: “Every resident deserves the chance to BeSuccessful.”