Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, a daughter of a single mother who is a U.S. veteran and registered nurse, grew up experiencing the challenges that working families face and the harsh economic conditions that drive compounded poverty and social inequities. After graduating from California State University of Hayward with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, she began working as a journalist, reporting on the lives of working families. She soon held her first union membership role with the Newspaper Guild, where she became involved in worker organizing by fighting to stop the pink-slipping of newsroom employees, which successfully helped them keep their jobs.

Senator Smallwood-Cuevas entered the labor movement as a community coordinator for SEIU Local 1877, now SEIU USWW. She was a lead organizer for the Justice for Janitors campaign, organizing over 4,000 security officers, resulting in a landslide victory that secured a 40 percent pay increase, health benefits, and job security. She later joined the UCLA Labor Center, where she founded their Center for the Advancement of Racial Equity at Work. Her leadership in labor education and policy led her to co-founding the Los Angeles Black Worker Center, which became a nationally recognized model acknowledged by President Barack Obama and Labor Secretary Tom Perez. She also served as Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board and held various advocacy roles with the U.S. Department of Labor and the Los Angeles County Worker Center Network.

Since being elected to the California State Senate, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas has championed landmark legislation to raise labor standards, expand access to justice for workers, and ensure public investments supporting equitable economic opportunities. As Chair of the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee, she has led efforts to strengthen worker protections across the state. She fought to ensure workers can report wage theft or pay discrimination without fear of retaliation (SB 497, 2023), and she led legislation to protect displaced retail workers by requiring advance notice and transfer opportunities when large chain stores close (SB 627, 2023). She co-led efforts to secure community benefits in major infrastructure projects, helping to open union career pathways for historically excluded workers (SB 150, 2023). She also advanced SB 572 (2024), which authorizes the sale of surplus state property in South Los Angeles to support affordable and mixed-use housing development, prioritizing community land trusts, and equitable local input.

Beyond labor policy, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas is working to preserve and uplift the cultural legacy of her district. She has partnered with community leaders to establish the first Historic South LA Black Cultural District, honoring the region’s profound contributions to California’s social, political and cultural history. This effort reflects her broader vision to recognize and invest in historically marginalized communities through both cultural and economic development.

In addition to her legislative work, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas has secured major budget investments to support her district. She championed a $1 million allocation to the Play Equity Fund to develop new recreational spaces in South Los Angeles, addressing the region’s lack of green spaces and promoting environmental equity. She also facilitated $1.85 million in CA RISE grant funding for six employment social enterprises, expanding job training and workforce pathways for individuals who face systemic barriers to employment. These investments reflect her commitment to addressing the economic, social and environmental needs of her community.

Senator Smallwood-Cuevas’ legislative priorities include enforcing worker rights, expanding collective bargaining, creating good union jobs, and strengthening social safety net programs that uplift working families. She is also committed to progressive justice reforms, a just transition to a green economy, and achieving universal healthcare for all Californians. A progressive leader, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas identifies as a Working Families Democrat.

In addition to serving as Chair of the Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas is a standing member of the Committees on Budget and Fiscal Review, Budget Subcommittee No. 4, Business, Professions and Economic Development, and Governmental Organization, as well as the Joint Committee on the Arts and the Joint Rules Committee.

She also serves on the California Workforce Development Board and the State Public Works Board, and she is a member of the Senate’s Special Committee on International Sporting Events, which focuses on the Olympics and World Cup Soccer.