Washington nonprofit goes public with claims against state lawmaker and founder

Staff members and leadership at the nonprofit Civil Survival are now speaking publicly about why the group fired Washington state Rep. Tarra Simmons.

Simmons, a Democrat from Bremerton, is the founding director of the legal aid and advocacy organization. She's also the first formerly incarcerated person elected to the state Legislature.

As KUOW reported this week, Simmons was placed on administrative leave last August and received a notice of termination two weeks ago.

In an open letter posted to the organization’s website Thursday, the Civil Survival board alleged that Simmons had engaged in "repeated violations of our organizational policies and conduct standards," and that she "engaged in unprofessional and inappropriate interactions with staff, including verbally berating an employee."

The post also said that Simmons "threatened Civil Survival’s funding and the continued employment of Civil Survival staff members."

“We want to impress upon our community that we did not arrive at this decision lightly," the statement said. "Prior to Tarra’s termination, the board commissioned two third-party investigations to ensure a thorough evaluation of the facts. We reject any allegation of discrimination by Tarra. The board has been fair in its interactions with Tarra, particularly in light of her actions over the past year.”

Civil Survival has not publicized the findings of the third-party investigations and Simmons told KUOW she had not received them.

Simmons provided KUOW with a letter to staff dated last fall —shortly after she was placed on leave — that announced Simmons “would continue in her role as external relations and fundraising director.” That letter, from then-Board President Amanda DuBois, added that Simmons “will not interact with staff of Civil Survival until restorative practices have been undertaken.”

Separately from the board, the staff at Civil Survival published their own open letter Thursday as well, with their own allegations against Simmons, some of which echoed the board’s claims.

“Over the past year, Tarra Simmons has harmed our staff and undermined our work in the community. For example, after receiving race equity feedback, Tarra threatened the jobs of Civil Survival staff and threatened to cut funding for the organization,” according to the staff letter.

“We raised these issues with our leadership and board, and they took them seriously. They conducted investigations and made organizational changes so we could operate in a safe working environment. Despite this, throughout the last year, Tarra has exercised her influence as a State Legislator to exclude formerly incarcerated staff members from advocacy spaces.”

Simmons has said that she told members of the nonprofit that she'd take her fundraising skills and connections elsewhere if the group ousted her.

In her interview with KUOW on Monday, Simmons said that at an employee retreat last August a consultant said staff members raised concerns that “the organization needed to separate from Tarra” because Simmons was “too white-presenting” to lead them.

“That was extremely painful for me, because it’s something I have dealt with my whole life as a mixed-race person and not feeling like I belong," Simmons told KUOW.

"So I had a reaction and I said, ‘Well, if you kick me out of the organization that I founded on my life story and raised all the money for, I’m going to take my funder and contacts with me,’ and that made them very upset.”

In the wake of these responses by the Civil Survival board and staff, Simmons told KUOW in a statement Friday, "It is deeply painful to experience such behavior from individuals I once considered family. The information presented in these letters is either blatantly false, deceptive, or grossly misrepresentative of the actual events."

Specifically Simmons said, "The feedback I received at the August retreat and the subsequent actions taken were deeply triggering and mishandled, contributing to a hostile environment."

She added, "Despite the investigation that I requested, concluding in my favor and my reinstatement as Founding Director, the refusal of my co-directors to communicate with me made it impossible to perform my duties effectively."

And Simmons said boundaries she established around her legislative role were another point of contention with the nonprofit and were "met with undue hostility."

Meanwhile, on social media, people inside and outside of Civil Survival said they are worried that the controversy over Simmons could harm the larger movement to limit incarceration and advocate for people caught up in the criminal legal system.

Social justice activist Elaine Simons, who led a nonprofit through 2012, said the rupture is sad for all involved.

“The nonprofit industrial complex needs to be better at how to transition founders,” Simons said. “It’s not only unfair to the founder but sends a strong message to those they’re trying to serve. I hope this finds the type of resolution Ms. Simmons seeks not only for her but for ‘lived’ experiences.”

The group's board of directors closed its letter by saying, “Despite the challenges we are facing, we want to express our confidence in the Civil Survival team, and we renew the organization’s promise to be mission-driven in our service to the reentry community.”