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Professional Summary
La'Tasha D. Mayes, MSPPM, is a nationally recognized leader in the field of reproductive justice, human rights and leadership development for Black women and girls. She is a native of West Philadelphia and believes in the indefatigable spirit of women.
La’Tasha is the Founder, former President and former CEO of New Voices for Reproductive Justice, an organization in Pennsylvania and Ohio dedicated to the health and well-being of Black women, femmes, girls and gender-expansive folx. New Voices advocates at the local, state and national level for reproductive justice. In January 2015, New Voices co-launched the national policy initiative, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, as a founding partner.
She’s also served on the board of directors of the Groundswell Fund — the largest funder of reproductive justice and women of color. She completed a second term on the Pennsylvania Governor's Advisory Commission on African American Affairs, ending in 2021. She is a past National Board Chair of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective — the largest human rights advocacy group for Indigenous women and women of color based in Atlanta.
She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor of science in business administration and has a master of science in public policy and management from the Heinz School of Carnegie Mellon University. La'Tasha also completed the Rockwood Leadership Institute Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice Fellowship in 2016, the Executive Program for Social Impact Strategy at the University of Pennsylvania in 2019 and the Higher Heights Senior Leadership Fellowship in 2021.
La'Tasha has served the Pittsburgh community as an inaugural Allegheny County Human Relations Commission Vice-Chair, Social Action Chair of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. - Pittsburgh Alumnae Chapter and President of the Urban League Young Professionals of Greater Pittsburgh.
In the Pennsylvania Primary Election 2015, La'Tasha ran for Pittsburgh City Council - District 7 and earned 35% of the vote against an incumbent in her first major campaign for elected public office.
She has received numerous honors for her work, including the 2022 She Can Win Building Bridges Award, 2021 KYW Newsradio GameChanger Award, 2018 ATHENA Award nomination, 2017 NAACP East Boroughs Phenomenal Woman Social Justice Award and 2016 Coro Center for Civic Leadership Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Alumni Award.
La'Tasha has been published in the following books: "Reproductive Justice: An Introduction" by Loretta J. Ross and Rickie Solinger (University of California Press), "Radical Reproductive Anthology" by Loretta J. Ross (Feminist Press), Lynn Roberts et al and in the In Our Own Voice Policy Report, "Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Voices: The State of Black Women and Reproductive Justice" with her article "Building the Next Generation of Black Reproductive Justice Leaders." La'Tasha has been featured by many regional and national media outlets, including ColorLines, Essence Magazine, NBCNews.com, Rewire, Slate Magazine, The Nation and Time.com.
Follow and connect with La'Tasha on social media: @latashaforpa | #LaTashaforPA #NextPhaseWithMayes #LaTashaDMayes