Conversations with Latanya Sherman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Latanya Sherman.

Hi Latanya , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Formerly founded on November 6, 2018, it was in 2014 that the framework for Project Educate was created. My son Orlance was in the 10th grade, and he asked me not to buy him anything for Christmas. He wanted me to use the money to do something for those who were homeless. Having been someone who always volunteered, donated, and supported those in need, I was thrilled with his philanthropic spirit. We got up early that Christmas morning, and we went Downtown Los Angeles with a woman named Donna Collier (Root Fruit Catering), whom I connected with on social media, to bring food, gifts, and some holiday cheer. We met on the 5th and San Pedro, not knowing a single person in Skid Row. She brought the food and music, and we got the gift cards and hygiene products. We borrowed a table from a local business, and we set up and served. It was by far a feeling that to this day is still indescribable. Although the majority of the items came from the $1 store, the level of gratitude, excitement, and happiness they expressed touched me in a way nothing else had before. It was at that moment that I realized I wanted to and needed to do more, so I did.

Over the next few years, I made my way to several tent cities in Los Angeles County, helping the homeless using my personal funds and resources. By 2017, I had a few homeless individuals I checked on regularly and who could count on me for food and other necessities every two weeks when I got paid. I had already decided to start a nonprofit, but I wanted to wait until my son was settled in college. As I started researching to create a need that wasn’t being met in the homeless community, I came to realize my various college degrees, certifications, life circumstances, work and entrepreneurial experiences had been preparing me for this journey all along and the acronym created by my son, Orlance Shirley, for the EDUCATE (Empowering, Disadvantaged, Underserved, Communities, All, Through, Education) sums up why I do what I do.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it has not been a smooth road, but the challenges we faced allowed us to grow and forced us to create ways and methods to continue to have an impact and service those who are experiencing homelessness. Funding, whether it be cash, gift cards, grants, donated items, sponsorships, or fundraising activities, are always a challenge for a new non-profit because individuals and companies alike want to donate their time or money to organizations that have a proven track record with results, and that in itself takes time to see. That, coupled with the onset of the pandemic in early 2020 and stay-at-home mandates, made it extremely difficult to secure volunteers for projects and service initiatives.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Project EDUCATE (also referred to as PJE), founded in 2018 by CEO LaTanya Sherman, is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that seeks to exemplify the much-needed change in response to Los Angeles’s homeless tragedy. Project EDUCATE envisions communities in which all of its residents have access to humane and dignified housing conditions and necessities for their sustainment.

Project EDUCATE embodies this vision and its mission statement through its 5 flagship programs (FED, TAG, BLOOM, HOPE, and SWAP) and other initiatives, which all work toward a common goal of “Teaching People How to Live in Spite of Where They Live.” Since its inception, Project Educate has been recognized by local magazines and radio stations, including Shout Out LA, Voyage, Playa Vista Magazine, Rebel, 102.3 KJLH, and 93.5 KDAY. The organization was also awarded the EFDI Humanitarian Award in 2023. The founder, LaTanya Sherman, was homeless in early 2000 and brings personal experiences, a passion for change, and an educational background in social and behavioral science into her humanitarian work. (E)mpowering (D)isadvantaged and (U)nderserved (C)ommunities (A)ll (T)hrough (E)ducation (EDUCATE) is what PJE is all about! We are committed to our mission of being the change we want to see.

What’s next?
Project EDUCATE is looking to expand even further in 2026! We are aiming to raise a bare minimum of $100,000 in funding. And we’re excited to launch new initiatives, which include CHIME (Changing How Individuals Manage Earnings) and a scholarship program. Project EDUCATE is also hoping to secure a van in 2026, so that we can deliver our services with greater ease and efficiency. We’ve also been fine-tuning different methods for streamlining communication and look forward to expanding on our monthly recurring events, “Cuts and Convos” and “Hope and Hygiene”.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.4projecteducate.org/support-us
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/4projecteducate
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4projecteducate
• Twitter: https://Twitter.com/Projecteducate3
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@projecteducate7167
• Other: TikTok: @4projecteducate