Hi, I’m Terry. I am a poet, slam champion, community organizer, and social democrat born and raised in Southwest Berkeley. Before being elected to represent District 2 on the City Council, I served as Vice-Chair of Berkeley’s Transportation Commission and a California Assembly District 15 associate member of the Alameda County Democratic Party Central Committee. I’ve previously served the City of Berkeley on the Grants Committee of the Children, Youth, and Recreation Commission and the Grants Committee of the Civic Arts Commission.

As an openly gay, working-class Black man raised in West Berkeley by a single mother, I am no stranger to stigma and prejudice. Fortunately, I have been able to grow up in a city that champions justice and social change. I have always had influential teachers and mentors, especially women of color, women, and religious minorities, all of whom instilled me with courage and dedication to advocacy and civic engagement.

For these reasons, I am immensely proud to be an alumnus of Berkeley Public Schools, Berkeley City College, and Saint Mary’s College of California. My great-grandfather was a Texan farmer who fled racial violence in the South, my grandfather was a Navy vet, and my grandmother is a retired nurse. My father is a retired accountant who served BUSD and the City of Richmond. My mother is a retired in-home elder care provider. My husband is a psychiatric nurse, and my sister is an IHSS care provider. Social justice and compassionate service have always been core beliefs of mine.

As your District 2 City Councilmember, I will build upon and amplify my role as a champion of racial justice and social equity in the City of Berkeley.

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Latest Updates

  • Councilmember Taplin Proposes Ban on “Ghost Gun” Precursor Parts
    Berkeley, CA— City Councilmember Terry Taplin (District 2) introduced a proposal to prohibit the sale, distribution, and possession of un-serialized precursor parts, including frames and receivers, which can be purchased to assemble “ghost” guns. State law requires privately-made firearms assembled from precursor part kits to be labeled with a serial number provided to the California Department of Justice […]
  • Councilmember Taplin Statement on Horizon Temporary Village Opening
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 1, 2021 The opening of this temporary shelter presents a huge opportunity for Berkeley to make lasting progress in housing its unhoused community. We must not squander it. With the 18-month contract for this site and 24-hour security, I’m looking forward to partnering with the county, state agencies, and community leaders to ensure this provides not only a […]
  • 6/10 Grayson Street Shelter Community Meeting
    Thursday, June 10th at 6pm Join Councilmember Taplin & Mayor Arreguin for the Grayson Street Shelter Community Meeting. Register athttps://tinyurl.com/GraysonShelter
  • 4/29 6th St Traffic Calming Workshop
    Thursday, April 296:00 – 7:00pm Join Councilmember Terry Taplin in a Neighborhood Workshop for calming traffic on 6th Street. Register athttps://tinyurl.com/6thStTraffic
  • Councilmember Taplin Statement on Chauvin Verdict and Berkeley Police Audit
    April 22, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “The verdict delivered in Minneapolis is not what justice looks like—what we saw was the bare minimum of public accountability,” said Berkeley City Councilmember Terry Taplin (District 2). “Justice would mean George Floyd being alive today, known mostly for his art and love for his family. Just as peace is not merely the absence of strife, […]

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