Ras Smith

Representative Ras Smith is in his 6th year representing Iowa House District 62, which includes Waterloo, Elk Run Heights, Evansdale, and Raymond. Smith, a Waterloo native, is the son of L.C. and the Rev. Dr. Belinda Creighton-Smith.

Smith graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and a Master’s degree in Youth and Human Services. Locally, Smith serves on the Executive Advisory Committee for the University of Northern Iowa, Executive Board member of the Urban Agriculture Institute, Executive Board member of the YMCA of Black Hawk County and as a Board Committee member of Blackhawk County Pheasants Forever.

First elected to the Iowa House in 2017, Representative Smith is serving on the House Agriculture Committee, House Information Technology Committee, House Education Committee, and the House Natural Resources Committee. As well as served as the Chairman of the Iowa Legislative Black Caucus. Since his time in the legislature, Smith has been an advocate for; workers’ rights, social justice, education reform and has passed legislation to address police brutality, decreasing barriers to small business opportunities, in addition to creating alternative pathways for high school completion.

Since entering the legislature, Smith has been a recipient of the Cedar Valley 20 under 40 award (2017), a Fellow of the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership (2018), the Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame Inductee: Rising Star Award (2019), the University of Northern Iowa- United Faculty Legislator of the Year (2019), the Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame: We the People Award (2019), and Progress Iowa: Harkin Heroes Award (2020).

  Out of session, Smith is the owner of Rise Advocacy Services which specializes in political consulting as well as grant writing, community engagement and resources development for organizations within the Cedar Valley area and across the state.  Smith lives in Waterloo with his wife Amelia and their two daughters, Maria and Samara. His family farms in rural Grundy County. As a family they attend Faith Temple Baptist Church.