| You probably already know LaShae's family. LaShae's father is the president of the Valencia Park Football Association, and her mother, a longtime union member, were known for keeping their front door open and for taking in anyone who needed a helping hand. LaShae grew up surrounded by love and foster siblings. She learned early about the value of a solid education, discipline, and always giving back to her community - values she has carried with her throughout her life.
LaShae comes from a long line of proud union workers. Her mom worked for San Diego State University and was a member of CSUEU and her father worked for the San Diego Community District and was a member of the AFT Guild. Her grandfather was a proud Teamster and her grandmother was part of CNA. The fight for better wages and working conditions is in her blood. It is no surprise that LaShae is a proud union member herself in the California Faculty Association and the only union member in this race.
LaShae attended John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Gompers Secondary School where she served on the drill team with her friend, now-Assemblywoman Dr. Akilah Weber, and graduated from Lincoln High School, a proud Hornet with green and white pumping through her veins. During her schooling, LaShae was class representative and president, played softball and basketball, participated in the school band, and even served as the Hornets' mascot.
LaShae's has seen the best of our community - and the worst. As a teen, LaShae saw her brother's friend killed in her front yard from a drive-by shooting. As a young adult, she saw racism in classrooms and workplaces. That's why LaShae has made it her mission to bring positive change to our community.
Since the 6th grade, LaShae has been leading. Even then she was focused on education. LaShae gathered discarded materials from teachers and set up summer school classes and free lunch in her front yard to make sure other students could get ahead.
After Lincoln, LaShae attended San Diego State University, used scholarships and grants and worked her way through school, earning a bachelor's degree in Africana Studies, a master's degree in Education with an emphasis in Multicultural Counseling, and capped it off with an Ed.D in Education Leadership. She returned to her alma mater to teach the next generation as a SDSU Adjunct Professor in the Department of Africana Studies.
As the San Diego County Office of Education's Community Engagement Specialist, LaShae strengthens curriculums in 42 school districts, impacting 500,000 students in almost 780 schools. She works with educators leveling the playing field so that every student in every zip code receives a quality education. LaShae also works to highlight the importance of effective community partnerships. She also helps parents, students, and community members access health screenings and vaccines, programs to find jobs, career training, apprenticeships, and assistance in finding quality schools for their children.
Under administrative direction, the Community Engagement Specialist, Whole Child and Community Design, serves as the county lead in coordinating county staff efforts in designing support for district/site administration to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate community/parent engagement programs. Additionally, the Community Engagement is a liaison between state, county, district, community, and government agencies that support historically underserved student populations.
Leadership is what defines LaShae. She has served on the boards of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, the San Diego NAACP, the San Diego Urban League, the Educational Enrichment System, and the Association of African American Educators, and is a founding member of the Black Women Institute for Leadership Development and a former member of the San Diego BAPAC. As a dedicated and loving single mother of two wonderful children, she coaches softball, cheer, and youth sports, served on the San Diego Unified School District Lincoln Cluster, and was president and vice president of the Johnson STEM Magnet PTA.
As the District Director for Assemblymember Dr. Shirley N. Weber, who is now California Secretary of State, LaShae managed staff and policy. She was instrumental in passing legislation to curb violence against communities of color. She created a task force to audit school districts, protect taxpayer dollars, and boost transparency and accountability in school funding. When LaShae couldn't find an affordable early education program for her son, she spearheaded legislation to give more San Diego families access to early childhood education, especially for lower income and military families. |