La'Tasha Mayes facts for kids

La'Tasha Mayes is an American activist and politician. She is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. As a member of the Democratic Party, she represents the 24th district. This district includes parts of Pittsburgh.

Early Life and Education

Mayes was born and grew up in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She went to the University of Pittsburgh. In 2003, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business. Later, she studied at Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University. She graduated in 2005 with a Master of Science degree. This degree was in public policy and management.

Early Career and Community Work

Mayes is an activist and community organizer. She works to make sure everyone has fair access to healthcare and support. In 2004, she helped start New Voices for Reproductive Justice. This group helps Black women and people from the LGBT community. They work to improve their health and well-being in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Mayes was the leader of this group until 2022.

In 2015, her organization won an important lawsuit. This win helped expand healthcare coverage for many low-income women in Pennsylvania. It meant 74,415 women could get Medicaid coverage.

In 2008, New Voices for Reproductive Justice worked to create human relations commissions. These groups help make sure people are treated fairly. They work to prevent unfair treatment based on who someone is. When Allegheny County created its commission in 2009, Mayes became its vice chair. She helped lead efforts to ensure equal rights for all people.

In 2015, Mayes ran for a seat on the Pittsburgh City Council. She did not win the election that year.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

How She Was Elected

The 2022 Elections

On January 19, 2022, La'Tasha Mayes announced she would run for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She wanted to represent the 24th district. The previous representative, Ed Gainey, had become the mayor of Pittsburgh.

There was a special election to fill the empty seat. Local party members chose the candidate. Martell Covington was chosen, and Mayes came in second. Covington won the special election.

However, Mayes ran again for the same seat in the regular election. This election was for the full term starting in 2023. She said she wanted to improve health in the district. She especially wanted to fix unfair differences in healthcare. These problems became worse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the Democratic primary election, Mayes won! She defeated the current representative, Martell Covington. She won with 46% of the votes. Many people noticed that Mayes won even without the official support of the county Democratic party. This showed her strong support from voters.

Mayes then won the general election on November 8 without anyone running against her.

What She Does in Office

When she took office, Mayes became a very important person. She is the first state legislator in Pennsylvania who openly represents diverse communities. This means she helps make sure all kinds of people are represented in government.

Committee Assignments

As a state representative, Mayes works on different committees. These groups focus on specific topics and help create new laws. Her committee assignments include:

• Appropriations (dealing with money and budgets)
• Environmental Resources and Energy (about nature and power)
• Health (healthcare and well-being)
• Judiciary (laws and justice)

Personal Life

Mayes lives in the Highland Park neighborhood of Pittsburgh. She lives there with her partner and daughter. She is a role model for many people.