I recently had an opportunity to sit down with State Senator Britnee Timberlake. I was delighted to find such a dynamic, intelligent, and grounded legislator. I spent the better part of the morning over coffee at a favorite Essex County diner and thought afterwards that Essex County now has the strongest contingent of state senators of any county— and I dare suggest that Essex County has never had five more qualified and hard-working state senators than the present. I say this with some perspective as I did serve in the state senate from 2001/2002 and 2008 to 2017. Let’s have a quick look.
We have Senate Majority Leader Theresa Ruiz, Senator Renee Burgess, Senator Britnee Timberlake, Senator John McKeon, and we round out this powerhouse delegation with Senator Kristen Corrado. Without hyperbole, all these senators are destined for greater things, whether it be higher office such as Congressmember, U.S. Senator, Governor, or Attorney General, they are all capable and ready to elevate and execute. Pretty incredible.
Rather than point to my characterization on the life and times of Senator Timberlake, I provide a forum for the Senator’s own words. After you read the below Q & A with the Senator, I’m sure you will you find her as interesting as I do.
How did you get started in public service?
I was born into service. As a military child, I was raised with discipline, responsibility, and a deep respect for democracy and community—values shaped by my father’s service in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne and by my mother’s work as an educator for children with special needs. From a young age, I confronted racism here in the USA and wrestled with global issues as my father deployed. Each experience helped shape me into a thought leader.
My journey into public service began with housing advocacy while earning degrees in Political Science, Religious Studies, and an MPA in Nonprofit Management from Seton Hall University. In 2011, I co-founded the Essex Community Land Trust with Harold Simon, the former publisher of ShelterForce Magazine. The ECLT creates and preserves permanent affordable housing and protects community assets. That work earned me excellent mentors and propelled me into elected office.
I was asked to run for office by the Democratic Party by Chairman Jones at the recommendation of then Speaker Shila Y. Oliver. After a long conversation about my values and life’s purpose of impact being unmovable, I said yes.
Following my election, I became the youngest, and from 2015 to 2018, the only African American woman to serve as President of a Freeholder Board in New Jersey. I was then appointed, and later elected to the General Assembly to succeed Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver, who made history as the first Black woman to win a statewide office in New Jersey as Lieutenant Governor. Today, I am honored to serve my constituents as a State Senator.
From day one, I have led with urgency and purpose—organizing communities around policy, drafting legislation, and challenging powerful institutions. As a Freeholder, I authored ordinances focused on equity, economic empowerment, and environmental justice, and took on big banks. As a state legislator, I work in lockstep with coalitions, sometimes made up by hundreds of organizations each, which have helped me to pass landmark legislation, including the $15/hour minimum wage and the Domestic Worker’s Bill of Rights. My commitment to policy and people as a tool for transformation has never wavered, and I remain driven by the belief that justice, equity, and opportunity must be accessible to all.
What does your typical day in your life look like?
My typical day is a full-spectrum balancing act—intense, intentional, and deeply rewarding. I work and live each day as if I am running out of time.
Each day begins well before sunrise with prayer, planning, and purpose.
As a wife to a Newark firefighter and revitalizer of abandoned properties, and as a mother to a blended family of boys, I rely on a strong village of family support on both sides of the family to keep everything running.
Our home is filled with activity—school drop-offs, homework, swimming, theater, soccer, basketball, library time, and more. I plan each week after church on Sunday, mapping out every detail to ensure our children grow up well-rounded, grounded in community, and surrounded by family. They often follow me into meetings and events, learning firsthand what service looks like, or shadow my husband as he moves through his day to day as a provider when he is not at the firehouse.
Professionally, I wear many hats. I serve as a State Senator for New Jersey’s 34th Legislative District, lead the Essex Community Land Trust as a co-founder, and take on additional roles of work to support my family and community.
My work varies from moment to moment from fighting eminent domain in a Jersey town that was originally founded by Congressman Charles White and Booker T. Washington in 1901 to be a sanctuary to the economically oppressed, to advising large banks in community responsibility, to helping a credit union become CDFI certified, to press conferences or protests, and of course writing laws and managing staff and services.
One time, I fondly remember guiding a family on a phone call through foreclosure prevention using the Community Wealth Preservation Program law I wrote, while cooking dinner, and still made it to evening classes and events before bedtime routines.
Together with my husband, we also founded the Timberlake Charles Community Empowerment Center to transform lives and strengthen communities across New Jersey by equipping residents with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive, building an engaged and prosperous future, one person at a time.
I lay my head down at night with a feeling of gratitude mixed with purposeful exhaustion, and I would not have it any other way.
What are your priorities in the Senate?
My priorities in the Senate are rooted in justice, equity, and opportunity which carries over from my time as the Essex County Freeholder President and the LD 34 Assemblywoman. I have fought to restore voting rights, expand access to education, and protect shift workers’ time with their families, climate change and environmental justice. I have championed maternal health, affordable housing, and economic development to uplift working families and ensure every New Jerseyan has a fair shot.
Quite a few of my social and economic justice bills have even been bipartisan; I am proud of that as I believe partisanship is ruining our nation. Reaching across the aisle and talking to people who might have opposing views is important.
I recently introduced legislation to restore $125 million to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund because I believe housing is a human right, and I am committed to making sure our communities have access to safe, affordable homes.
In response to federal funding cuts, I have called for district consolidation to preserve high-quality education for all students, which would also address the issue of segregated schools while lowering property taxes.
I am sounding the alarm on childcare by fighting to restore subsidies that help parents stay in the workforce while knowing their child is in a qualified daycare center.
I am also calling out corporate greed in the energy sector, where publicly traded companies raise rates several times a year while making record profits and require millions in government subsidies, yet only want us elected officials to talk about the grid being the issue for high energy rates. I refuse to let these corporations go undetected and am demanding fairness and accountability so that families see real relief by addressing both sides of the coin, corporate greed and the grid.
AI is increasingly on my radar as job automation (something I am in opposition to) becomes an undeniable reality. It’s essential that we implement thoughtful regulations, particularly around areas like company taxation per robot, to help offset the economic impact of displaced workers and support the retraining efforts needed to adapt to this evolving technological landscape.
I am also committed to writing common-sense legislation that removes barriers and creates opportunity. I remain focused on building a more equitable New Jersey. That includes advocating for inclusive economic growth, lowering costs, protecting our climate, and investing in public safety through support for local fire departments and all first responders.
What are the hardest things you contend with in Trenton?
- The hardest part is navigating systems that were not built with equity in mind, and working to rewrite the system to include opportunities for all. Change takes time, and resistance can be fierce, but I stay grounded in my faith, my purpose, and the people I serve. I have passed laws that were the first of their kind, that faced opposition by major players in both business and politics, like requiring the Attorney General to investigate deaths in police custody, or redesigning the entire foreclosure system with the Community Wealth Preservation Program, the only one of its kind in the nation.Deep-rooted special interest is also a hard hurdle, but I know the issues, I identify the solutions, and paired with good organization, I execute upon them. The work is hard, but the mission is worth it. Even when the pace of change is slower than I would like, or I often must fight three times as hard to be heard, I remind myself—I am not here for politics, I am here for people, so I stop at nothing to get the job doneAs a woman in politics, navigating the narrow perceptions others project that are often shaped by their own limitations or unresolved experiences can be challenging. Often, it stems from misogyny; other times, it comes from women who have not yet liberated their thinking and have internalized the norms of a male-dominated world. A recurring dynamic I often face is being underestimated for being a mother, criticized or dismissed for having multiple children, and told my ambitions are “too much,” while men in leadership rarely endure the same scrutiny. Women, especially women of color, are frequently met with unwarranted doubt about their capacity. Others suggest I am wrong for daring to want it all—to be a wife, a mother, scholar, and a strong effective community leader and legislator. I believe it is absolutely possible to pursue and achieve all that I envision as a woman. What I believe is possible often stretches far beyond what others can imagine. The weight I can lift may be different than another person, and that’s okay. When a woman dares to define her own path and actively pursues the life she envisions, it can unsettle those who are still wrestling with their own insecurities and self-placed limitations. As Jonathan Livingston Seagull reminds us, “You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now—and nothing can stand in your way.” And indeed, “We are free to go where we wish and to be what we are.”
How do you balance the competing issues in your life?
Balance is a daily discipline. I navigate competing priorities methodically through intentional planning, a strong support system, knowing my boundaries, and a deep belief in my life’s mission. My husband and I are true partners, and our families play an active role in helping us raise our children and serve our community. I rely on virtual meetings to stay efficient, and I lead with love, strategy, and a little fire. I believe women can do anything and everything they choose. Feminism is about that freedom. I am not perfect and let go of the idea of perfection long ago as an unattainable trap. I just do what I can the best I can. Of course, there is the unwavering support of my staff, including the brave soul who manages my calendar, that help make it possible. I am focused on Proverbs 31 and draw inspiration from that. Lastly, I work while others sleep with a “Mamba Mentality” that the great basketball player Kobe Bryant talks about. We all get 24 hours a day, what any of us do with it is all about choice.
What does the future look like for you?
I cannot tell the future, but I rely on my faith in the Lord and work to build the legacy I’m crafting—anchored in courage, integrity, intention, and impact, because faith without deeds is dead. I guard my work because every policy, speech, and initiative I lead leaves a lasting mark. I write my own legislation, speeches, and op-eds—collaborating with lawyers to shape policy rooted in public need and lived experience. It is demanding, and I claim ownership unapologetically in a political landscape where credit is often misassigned. Whether I am in the Senate chamber, engaging with my community, or nurturing my family, I am building a future that reflects my deepest values. And who knows, maybe that path will one day lead me to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
