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I am the Founder and Executive Director of New Voices for Reproductive Justice. I am a politico, I am DJ Dark & Stormy and a ginger beer lover. I am a native of West Philadelphia and I believe in the indefatigable spirit of Black women.
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. La'Tasha is the Founder and Executive Director of New Voices for Reproductive Justice, a multi-state organization in Pennsylvania and Ohio dedicated to the health and well-being of Black women, femmes and girls headquartered in Pittsburgh with offices in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
New Voices advocates at the local, state and national level for Reproductive Justice - the Human Right of all people to control their bodies, sexuality, gender, work, reproduction and ability to form our families. New Voices celebrates its 14th anniversary this year having served 100,000+ Black women and girls, women of color and LGBTQ+ people of color through New Voices Pittsburgh, New Voices Cleveland and New Voices Philadelphia. 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.
La’Tasha is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and she earned a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management at the Heinz School of Carnegie Mellon University. La'Tasha serves on the Board of Directors of the Groundswell Fund - the largest funder of Reproductive Justice and women of color - and she was appointed to a second term on the Pennsylvania Governor's Advisory Commission on African American Affairs. La'Tasha is 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.
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. La'Tasha has received numerous honors including the 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 also completed the Rockwood Leadership Institute Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice Fellowship.
In 2017, La'Tasha was published in the books, "Reproductive Justice: An Introduction" by Loretta J. Ross and Rickie Solinger (University of California Press), "Radical Reproductive Anthology" by Loretta J. Ross, Lynn Roberts et al (Feminist Press) 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 chapter, "Building the Next Generation of Black Reproductive Justice Leaders."
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. La'Tasha is a passionate Reproductive Justice activist, native of West Philadelphia and believes in the indefatigable spirit of women.