Cindy Bass is a policy formulator and community activist. Currently, she is the Senior Policy Advisor on Urban and Domestic Policy to Congressman Chaka Fattah. Prior to joining Congressman Fattah’s staff, Ms. Bass was Special Assistant to then State Senator Allyson Schwartz, who is now a member of Congress as well.
In 2007, Cindy Bass was a candidate for City Council in Philadelphia’s 8th District. She finished second in a crowded field of challengers and, as a candidate received numerous endorsements, including both The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Philadelphia Daily News.
Cindy holds a deep commitment to increasing the role and the number of women and minorities in the political arena. She is a board member of The Philadelphia Chapter of NOW. She is also the former co-chairperson for the National Coalition of Black Women’s National Public Policy Committee, and the former chairperson of the Political Awareness Committee for this organization’s local chapter. Ms. Bass is a member of and/or previously affiliated with the Philadelphia Chapter of the League of Women Voters, Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, Democrat Women of Philadelphia, The NAACP, The Coalition of Labor Union Women, Metropolitan Career Center and the NARAL Foundation and a former steering committee member for 2000 African American Women PAC.
Cindy is a past president of East Mt. Airy Neighbors (EMAN), one of the oldest community organizations in the nation. EMAN was created to fight racial blockbusting and promote Mt. Airy as a diverse community. Today, Mt. Airy serves as a model for integrated neighborhoods nationwide. She also was the very first employee of Mt. Airy USA, one of the City’s premier community development corporations, where she developed a renowned housing counseling program.
Cindy’s dedication to improving the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia region through civic activism has not gone unnoticed—The Philadelphia Tribune newspaper in its annual Most Influential Issue named her as one of the 10 People to Watch under 40 in 2004; The Philadelphia Daily News profiled her as an Up and Coming Talent in Local Politics. She was also selected by the American Council of Young Political Leaders to visit Brazil and meet with government officials and civic leaders to promote U.S-Brazil relations.
Cindy founded the Turnout Tuesday Coalition, which was made up of over 30 community based non-profit groups to participate in non- partisan electoral activity in an effort to increase voter turnout and civic engagement among the public. During past presidential elections, The Turnout Tuesday Coalition worked to inform voters of new voting rules, their voting rights and on the importance of participating in the electoral process. Consequently, Pennsylvania has played a pivotal role in the outcome of the last 2 Presidential elections.
Cindy was elected and served as a committed delegate to Barack Obama in 2008 for the Democratic National Convention. She has served in senior positions for numerous campaigns, including candidates for Governor, U.S. Senate, Mayor and City Council races. She is currently an elected Democratic Committee Person in the 22 Ward and previously was a member of the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee.
Cindy currently lives in the Mount Airy section of the City with her husband, Scott and their young daughter, Carson.
[Cindy is] ready to put the skills and relationships she developed… to good use on Council. She has walked the walk of neighborhood improvement in Northwest Philadelphia as a staffer at the superb Mount Airy, USA community development corporation and as a president of the East Mount Airy Neighbors. Her willingness to look anywhere and everywhere for best practices that Philadelphia could emulate would be a nice addition to an often-parochial Council.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 2007
“The [8th] district… is filled with possibilities. We believe Cindy Bass can turn those possibilities into realities… many things impress us about Bass… but it’s more than just her resume. Bass exudes the energy and political savvy needed to change things in the district and move it forward… it’s Bass who has the right experience, connections and drive to serve this district.” – The Philadelphia Daily News, May 2007
