The ‘Roots’ of Michael Tubbs’ Basic Income Advocacy

Michael D. Tubbs is the former mayor of Stockton, California. Elected in 2016 at the age of 26, he became the youngest and the first Black person to hold the office in the city’s history. In that role, he captured national attention for piloting a guaranteed income program for Stockton residents. After losing re-election in 2020 to Republican Kevin Lincoln, Tubbs took his message national, launching Mayors for A Guaranteed Income initiative. He also landed a job with California Governor Gavin Newsom as the Special Advisor for Economic Mobility and Opportunity. In Tubbs’ new memoir, ‘The Deeper the Roots,’ he shares lessons from his upbringing, his activism and the highs and lows of his nascent political career. Given his ambitious efforts at just 31 years of age, one can’t help but wonder: Is a presidential bid part of Michael Tubbs’ future plans? Watch to find out.