Ras Smith

RasTafari Smith was named for the royal title and given name of Haile Selassie.[1] The name was selected by his mother, Belinda Creighton-Smith, a pastor.[1] Smith's father L. C. is a retired factory worker for John Deere.[2][3] His brothers include Rameses and Myron.[1] Smith is married to Amelia, an educator, with whom he has two children.[1]

Smith was raised in northeast Waterloo, Iowa and attended Northern University High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He enrolled at Wartburg College and Iowa State University before completing a bachelor's degree in exercise science at the University of Northern Iowa. Smith then worked as the strength and conditioning coach at Waterloo East High School and volunteered as a member of the high school's American football coaching staff. He left East High to work at a Target Corporation distribution center, then joined Four Oaks, a special education program, as a counselor and later, shift leader. During his time at Four Oaks, Smith worked toward a master's degree in leisure, youth and human services from the University of Northern Iowa. After completing his master's degree, Smith began working for Communities in Schools.[2]

Smith is a Baptist.[3]

After Deborah Berry announced her retirement, her seat in District 62 was left open.[3] Smith contested that seat in 2016 as a Democratic Party candidate,[3] defeating Republican Party candidate Todd Obadal and political independent John Patterson.[4][5]