Sharifa Wilson moved to East Palo Alto when she became a teacher in the Ravenswood City School District becoming president of the teachers union and eventually a two-term school board trustee. She has served on the East Palo Alto Human Services Commission, East Palo Alto Personnel Commission, East Palo Alto Rent Stabilization Task Force, East Palo Alto City Council, and East Palo Alto Redevelopment Agency. She is a co-founder of the East Palo Alto Community Archive.