Author Profile

Congressman Shomari C. Figures represents Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. For Shomari, Alabama is home. It’s where he was raised in his grandfather’s church and educated from kindergarten to law school. His parents inspired him to dedicate his life to advocating for the people of Alabama. 

Shomari’s father, the late Michael Figures, was a state senator and lawyer who fought to expand rights for Black people in Mobile and across Black Belt Alabama for over two decades. He worked to protect property rights and ensure fair representation for Black people, and successfully brought the lawsuit that bankrupted the Klan after they lynched a Black teenager in Mobile in 1981. Shomari’s mother, Vivian Figures, served on the Mobile City Council, currently serves as State Senator, and has worked to protect women’s rights and improve health and education in Alabama. 

After graduating from John L. LeFlore High School, Figures attended the University of Alabama and then followed in his father’s footsteps and attended law school at the University of Alabama. 

He served as a law clerk on the federal court, worked on President Barack Obama’s campaign, and then went on to work in the White House, serving as the Domestic Director of Presidential Personnel. Shomari worked closely with senior leadership at the Departments of Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Justice. Figures supported the implementation of policies and legislation like the Affordable Care Act from the ground up, improving the lives of thousands in Alabama. 

Figures went on to serve as the White House Liaison at the Department of Justice alongside Loretta Lynch, the first Black woman to serve as Attorney General, and then as a Counsel in Congress, where he served as an advisor on issues including civil rights, immigration, homeland security, child welfare, and policing. He worked on the Biden-Harris Transition Team and then returned to the Department of Justice, where he most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Counselor for Attorney General Merrick Garland. With his vast experience, Figures will improve the quality of life for everyone. 

Shomari is married to Dr. Kalisha Dessources Figures, an impact strategist who works across research, policy, and politics to advance gender and racial equity and strengthen civic engagement and leadership. They have three children.