Ep 43: Latoya Gayle: Community Activism for Families & Students in Boston
On this week’s episode of Catalysts for Change, Jill talks to Latoya Gayle, former executive director of Boston Schools Finder and co-founder of March Like a Mother. Latoya is a community activist focused on the success of all students and families in Boston. She is planning to launch a new civic innovation lab, Liberation Lab, where she will focus on supporting families and communities in building and sustaining bases of power through civic engagement, capacity building, and leadership development.
As Executive Director, Latoya established Boston School Finder from the ground up as a go-to destination for families in Boston to learn more about their school options through a comprehensive, easy to use tool online. Over three years, she was able to grow Boston School Finder to more than 37,000 users across Boston and establish a robust online footprint. In addition to her time at Boston School Finder, Latoya co-founded March Like a Mother this past June to leverage the collective, transformative power of motherhood to eradicate systemic racism through grassroots advocacy.
We talk to Latoya about her journey and what led her to starting Boston School Finder, previous experiences as a parent in Boston Public Schools, her upcoming work with Liberation Lab, the current state of BPS and the City of Boston. Liberation Lab will be tackling education from the perspective of it being a social determinant of health. The lab will work to address public policy as well as the social, economic, and public health conditions that impact education.
If you would like to learn more about Latoya’s work, check out the resources below.