Sharif Street

Sharif Street (born March 29, 1974) is an American politician and attorney. He is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who has represented the 3rd district since 2017. In 2018, Street was elected Vice-Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party under Chairwoman Nancy Patton Mills of Allegheny County, and was elected Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party on June 18, 2022, the first person of color to fill that role.

Street is a supporter of criminal justice reform, environmentally-friendly energy production, cannabis legalization and equity education finance. He is the son of former Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street and the nephew of former State Senator Milton Street.

Early political involvement
Throughout the early 2000s, Street was known for his cultural pride and long locks, which he kept even while campaigning. In 2004, Street was elected as a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention committed to John Kerry for President.

Career
As a student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, Street directed a Town Watch group in Philadelphia and has continued to serve the community in numerous positions since, starting both Philadelphia Green Communities and Urban Solution, serving as managing director of the Housing Association of Delaware Valley; serving on the board of the North Central Philadelphia Empowerment Zone's Housing Trust Fund; the North Central Empowerment Zone's Community Advisory Committees for Housing, Crime, Public Safety and Economic Development; and current member of Philadelphia's African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs Commission. He also served as Chief Legislative Advisor to the Democratic Chair of the Housing and Urban Development Committee, Senator Shirley Kitchen.

Pennsylvania State Senate
Street was elected to the State Senate in 2016. He currently serves as a member of the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing and the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee.

Street has proclaimed to be an advocate of cannabis reform and announced a bipartisan legalization bill in 2023. In September, 2023, Street voted against Senate Bill 733 when it was considered in appropriations, which would expand the number of licenses for the medical marijuana program without providing any patient reforms. However, the next day Street introduced a home grow amendment to allow patients to grow, then withdrew the home grow amendment and voted affirmatively on an amendment offered by Republican State Senator Chris Gebhard, who was also sponsor for the bill.

==== Committee assignments ====
 * Agriculture and Rural Affairs
 * Appropriations
 * Banking and Insurance, Democratic Chair
 * Local Government
 * State Government, Democratic Chair

Pennsylvania Democratic Party
In 2022, Street was elected Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party after serving as vice-chair to Chairwoman Nancy Patton Mills of Allegheny County.

2022 U.S. Senate election
On April 1, 2021, Street filed as a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania. He ended his campaign in January 2022.