<p>Learn more about the campaign's top issues, priorities and solutions for our Ward 8 students, schools and families. </p>

<h2>LaJoy's Top Campaign Issues</h2>

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<p><strong>So much is happening right now!</strong> Thank you all so much for keeping up with the campaign. These are a few news articles and press opportunities I have had the honor to be involved in over the years! </p>

<h2>Take a look at LaJoy in the News &amp; Press</h2>

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<h1>A Mom for Change!</h1>

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<p><strong>LaJoy interviews with the Team Rayceen! </strong>LaJoy sat down with Team Rayceen Productions for a candidate interview for the State Board of Education Ward 8. Hear LaJoy's priorities and why she's running! </p>

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<h4>LaJoy interviews with Team Rayceen</h4>

<p><strong>Early Voting Centers</strong> <strong>( October 28th - November 3rd ) </strong></p><p>- FORT STANTON RECREATION CENTER 1812 Erie Street, SE Gymnasium</p><p>- FEREBEE-HOPE RECREATION CENTER 700 Yuma Street, SE Gymnasium</p><p>-ARTHUR CAPPER COMMUNITY CENTER 1000 5th Street, SE Gymnasium</p><p>- BALD EAGLE RECREATION CENTER 100 Joliet Street, SW Gymnasium</p><p></p><p><strong>Election Day Voting Centers ( November 5th) </strong></p><p>- FORT STANTON RECREATION CENTER 1812 Erie Street, SE Gymnasium</p><p>- FEREBEE-HOPE RECREATION CENTER 700 Yuma Street, SE Gymnasium</p><p>-ARTHUR CAPPER COMMUNITY CENTER 1000 5th Street, SE Gymnasium</p><p>- BALD EAGLE RECREATION CENTER 100 Joliet Street, SW Gymnasium</p><p>-ALLEN A.M.E. CHURCH 2498 Alabama Avenue, SE Multi-Purpose Room</p><p>-ANACOSTIA HIGH SCHOOL 1601 16th Street, SE Gymnasium</p><p>-BALLOU HIGH SCHOOL 3401 4th Street, SE Dance Studio</p><p>-TURNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 3264 Stanton Road, SE Gymnasium</p><p>-COVENANT BAPTIST CHURCH 3845 South Capitol Street, SW Church Hall</p><p>-HENDLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 425 Chesapeake Street, SE Auditorium</p><p>-THEARC 1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE Auditorium</p><p>-UNION TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH 1225 W Street, SE Church Hall</p>

<h4>Election Day!!!</h4>

<p>Come meet and greet LaJoy and Abria! Hear more about the campaign's priorities and educational vision for Ward 8. Hosted by Ward 8 Community Member.</p>

<h4>Meet LaJoy and Abria hosted by Queen Elvera-         Golden Miss Washington DC </h4>

<p>Meet LaJoy and Abria hosted by Queen Elvera-         Golden Miss Washington DC </p>

<p>“I think we all have to remember, kiddos are literally crossing the city to go to school,” said LaJoy Johnson Law. Law is the parent of a 7th-grade student with special needs. She drives her daughter to and from school daily, making the trip from Ward 8 to Ward 1. She said transportation is just one of the many factors that can cause a student to show up late to school, or not at all.</p>

<h4>Chronic Tardiness </h4>

<p><strong>LaJoy Johnson-Law, parent, Ward 8 resident, and parent advocate </strong>at Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE), joins the Education Town Hall to discuss issues for schools in Ward 8 and citywide. Topics included students as stakeholders, treating feedback as more than “check the box” exercises, budgets, relationships of DCPS and DC Public Charter Schools, homeschooling, and much more.</p>

<h4>Centering Ward 8 Needs In Education</h4>

<p><strong>That was the case for Abria Law, according to her mother, LaJoy Johnson-Law</strong>. The elementary school student has an Individualized Education Plan that says she needs occupational therapy and physical therapy, among other services. But she only received a paperwork packet that she was expected to complete on her own during quarantine, said Law, a parent support specialist with Advocates for Justice and Education, a group that serves students with disabilities.</p>

<h4>What happens to learning when D.C. students must quarantine? It depends.</h4>

<p><strong>“I just really want folks to know that, like, how are families accessing education in the city?" Ward 8 parent LaJoy Johnson-Law said. </strong>"And how does that translate to transportation, whether it's by OSSE, Metro car, rail, parent, walking, like, whatever it may be, like, have you really sat down to look at all the mitigating factors that are actually going into this issue? Because how can you solve something and you haven't even you haven't .”</p>

<h4>Tackling Truancy </h4>

<p><strong>As a “proud single mom”</strong> to an 8 year old with multiple disabilities, <strong>LaJoy Johnson-Law understands the complexities of navigating D.C.’s health and education systems</strong>. This first-hand knowledge has helped Johnson-Law in her role as a parent support specialist at Advocates for Justice and Education. I love the fact that I am a mom, period. It is a miracle that I am a mom. My daughter was born at 23 weeks weighing 1 pound, 6 ounces.</p>

<h4>Washington Family Magazine- Meet LaJoy Johnson-Law</h4>

<p>LaJoy believes in prioritizing the use of <strong>de-escalation + restorative justice </strong>practices + appropriate accountability measures to fight our epidemic of youth violence in Ward 8 and around the city to ensure that efforts to make our community safer.</p>

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<h2>School Safety</h2>

<p><strong>Petition Signature Drop Off!!</strong> LaJoy dropped over 400 signatures to the board of elections to obtain a spot on the ballot. "Thank you Ward 8! The campaign is turning in over 400 signatures today and we are still collecting! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support!!" - LaJoy</p>

<h4>Petition Drop Off!</h4>

<p><strong>LaJoy Johnson-Law, a Ph.D. candidate in Washington, D.C.</strong>, calls her daughter Abria a “miracle baby.” Abria was born at 23 weeks, at 1 pound, 6 ounces — a tiny little warrior with everything stacked against her.&nbsp;They live in Ward 8, an area housing mostly Black residents, many of whom are low-income. In 2015, the D.C. Department of Health ranked Ward 8 with the highest rates of asthma among adults.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h4>Children with chronic disability deserve affordable, quality healthcare</h4>

<p>LaJoy believes that there is a need to prioritize enhancing <strong>parent engagement and involvement</strong> as essential components of student and school success. By prioritizing parent engagement, it will create stronger partnerships between schools and families, ultimately leading to improved academic outcomes and a more supportive learning environment for all students.</p>

<h2>Parent and Family Engagement</h2>

<p><strong>LaJoy testifies at DC Council hearing concerning Student Truancy and Absenteeism. </strong>"As I read through the different policies, I was heartbroken to see that children with disabilities are not really accounted for in regard to chronic absenteeism, whether the absence is excused or unexcused. Children with disabilities are often not included in chronic absenteeism and tardy conversations due to the assumption that this will just fall in the excused category" LaJoy testimony.</p>

<h4>LaJoy testifies at DC Council Truancy Hearing</h4>

<p>"<strong>As a mother of a child with a disability,</strong> I know it is imperative to protect our youths and their future. We can do this by implementing a bold vision for educational excellence by providing equitable funding for both sectors, requiring all elementary educators to receive structured literacy training to strengthen how children are taught to read and supporting all educators through mental health services and higher compensation".</p>

<h4>Parents Deserve to make their own Choice </h4>

<p><strong>As a parent, protecting your children is one of your main priorities</strong>. Hear from this strong Ward 8 mom, LaJoy Johnson-Law, who committed to saving her then preemie baby’s life, and learn how she made the bold decision to get vaccinated to protect the health of her daughter.</p>

<h4>As a parent, protecting your children is one of your main priorities. Ward 8 mom LaJoy Johnson-Law</h4>

<p>Come meet and greet LaJoy! Hear more about the campaign's priorities and educational vision for Ward 8. Hosted by Olivia Henderson- Washington Highland Civic Association President, Former ANC 8D Chair.</p>

<h4>Bonfire Meet and Greet hosted by Olivia Henderson- Washington Highland Civic Association President</h4>

<p>Bonfire Meet and Greet hosted by Olivia Henderson- Washington Highland Civic Association President</p>

<p>"My daughter and I are the dynamic duo. She is my miracle baby. She is not only surviving but thriving. As a proud single mom, it is important to have the village. <strong>Every child deserves an opportunity to attend a school with a community of people committed to their success.</strong> Every child deserves a school that will help their individual needs to be successful. Families deserve the right to make a choice that is best for their child and their family".</p>

<h4>NCSC22: Parent LaJoy Johnson Law, Speaker Spotlight</h4>

<p>LaJoy believes in the importance of ensuring that every student, regardless of their abilities, receives the support they need to thrive. <strong>Special education is a critical issue </strong>that requires careful attention and proactive measures to ensure equity, inclusion, and success for all students.</p>

<h2>Special Education </h2>

<p><strong>LaJoy Johnson-Law is a DC parent of a middle school student who attends E.L. Haynes PCS</strong>.<strong><em> </em></strong>E.L. Haynes has been outstanding and supportive of our transition to middle school and E.L. Haynes. I’ve seen in-depth collaboration between my daughter’s E.L. Haynes’ team and her elementary school team. A team member of her elementary school team attended her IEP meeting before we even started at E.L. Haynes, which is the in-depth collaboration we need as students transition between schools.</p>

<h4>Who Are Students With Disabilities?</h4>

<p><strong>Vote Mama endorses LaJoy for Ward 8 State Board of Education. </strong> "I’m proud to be endorsed by Vote Mama and join an incredible network of Democratic moms who are fighting for the future our kids deserve. As an organization dedicated to supporting moms and working to break the structural and cultural barriers that keep moms from running for and serving in office, their endorsement carries significant weight and reflects our aligned vision for positive change in elections and education" LaJoy. </p>

<h4>Vote Mama Endorses LaJoy</h4>

<p>LaJoy believes in prioritizing increased funding, support services, and the establishment of a training standard for providing comprehensive mental health care -- that is accessible to students, families, and the entire school community.</p>

<h2>Mental Health</h2>

<p>“If we can’t give them the basics, how are they supposed to learn? <strong>You can’t learn if you’re hungry</strong>,” Johnson-Law said. “I do see it as an intersectionality approach to get kids back in school and to let students know this is another resource. This is just another layer to remove another form of barrier.” LaJoy Johnson-Law, a parent advocate who ran for the Ward 8 seat on the D.C. State Board of Education in 2020...</p>

<h4>Free School Lunch Proposal </h4>

<p>Meet LaJoy Johnson-Law. Her daughter Abria’s story of living with COPD is featured in ATS Patient Voices, Volume 12. The focus of the stories includes how mental health is impacted by lung disease. Please support the ATS Research Program to help children like Abria.</p>

<h4>American Thoracic Society Patient Voices-LaJoy Johnson-Law</h4>

<p><strong>”You want to talk about chronic absenteeism, chronic tardiness, look at the students who have chronic conditions and how are we really assisting them. </strong>Children that have disabilities, they have doctor's appointments, they have therapeutic appointments, they may have days where they're not feeling well"</p>

<h4>Chronic Absenteeism </h4>

<p>The case study specifically explored the lives of <strong>LaJoy Johnson-Law and her daughter, Abria,</strong> who joined the workshop. LaJoy is a Ward 8 resident whose beautiful 9-year old daughter, Abria, was born extremely premature at <strong>23 weeks and 1 pound 6 ounces</strong>.<strong> </strong>LaJoy and Abria joined the case study simulation to afford the participants with an alternative perspective: that of the family and the patient.</p>

<h4>GW - A Virtual Interprofessional Case Study Simulation w/ LaJoy Johnson-Law</h4>

<p>When the coronavirus pandemic struck unexpectedly earlier this year, households across the country, regardless of geography or income levels, needed to quickly pivot to a world that was moving almost exclusively online. <strong>LaJoy is a disability advocate, and a busy single mother with a special needs child of her own. </strong>She knows firsthand how important representation is for the special needs community</p>

<h4>Internet Essentials: Three Stories. Washington, DC-LaJoy </h4>

<p>“There is going to be a loss of instruction. We have to deal with the reality of the situation,” said Johnson-Law, who also works as an advocate for students with disabilities. “<strong>Parents are always our kids’ first teachers, but I don’t think that’s going to take the place of what they get at school</strong>. "</p>

<h4>D.C. Students With Disabilities Could Face ‘Significant Regression’ During Distance Learning</h4>

<p>LaJoy and her daughter Abria Law attend the White House highlight of the<strong> Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).</strong> A digital equity program to help close the digital divide and provide families across the country to get families and students connected digitally.</p>

<h4>LaJoy and Abria at the White House! Awareness, Outreach, and Innovation to Achieve Digital Equity</h4>

<p>Since LaJoy Johnson-Law gained access to the internet in her home last year, life has completely changed for her and her 8-year-old daughter, Abria. "<strong>When the internet was set up and working, it felt amazing</strong>. It felt like we were connected with the world. It was also a sense of relief because [not having internet] had been a point of stress," said Johnson-Law.&nbsp;</p>

<h4>A D.C. Resident Shares How the Internet Changed Her Life</h4>

<p>"Many families of children that have disabilities struggle to find inclusive out-of-school time programming. <strong>Children with disabilities</strong> have a <strong>federal righ</strong>t to be <strong>included</strong> in out-of-school time and for the programs to be accessible. We are asking the board to help with advocacy on these efforts.” LaJoy Johnson-Law</p>

<h4>LaJoy testifies at May State Board of Education (SBOE) Public Meeting</h4>

<p><strong>LaJoy picks up petitions to get on the ballot for Ward 8 SBOE! </strong>"Ward 8 petitions are out now it’s time to get on the ballot. Remember there are NO MOMS on the SBOE-It’s time to change that and get on the ballot. If you would like to help circulate petitions, signup at: <a href="https://lajoyforward8.com/volunteer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://lajoyforward8.com/volunteer</a>." </p>

<h4>LaJoy picks up Petitions for Ward 8 SBOE!</h4>

<p>LaJoy believes that school transparency is paramount and essential to <strong>promoting accountability, </strong>informed decision-making, parental involvement, continuous improvement, and legal and ethical compliance.</p>

<h2>School Transparency</h2>

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<h4>A Parent Perspective on Absenteeism and Tardiness </h4>

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<h4>Lunch w/ LaJoy: DC Education DATA Deep Dive </h4>

<p>Lunch w/ LaJoy feat. Josh Boots: An In depth conversation about DC Education Data and how it affects our Ward 8 community. </p>

<p>Lunch w/ LaJoy: DC Education DATA Deep Dive </p>

<p>Johnson-Law also expressed a desire to organize and amplify the voices of Ward 8 parents, teachers, and education organizations who she say have been left out of education policy discussions. "I want to continue the work and make sure our families are okay and that they feel heard,” Johnson-Law said. “<strong>We can get more help when we have a broader community working together.</strong>”&nbsp;</p>

<h4>LaJoy announces Ward 8 SBOE 2024 candidacy</h4>

<p>LaJoy Johnson Law....a 32 year-old single mother and Parent Support Specialist for Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE)<strong> spent the eight months during the pandemic in a campaign to represent Ward 8 on the State Board of Education (SBOE).</strong>..At the same time, she was working at her full-time job alongside her daughter Abria, 9, as the latter attended virtual fourth-grade classes from Rocketship Prep Academy.</p>

<h4>How Families are Managing Virtual Learning-Hill Rag</h4>

<p><strong>Local Mother Embarks on Anti-Bullying Crusade. </strong>Supported by local community action groups, Yolanda Corbett meets with Washington Leadership Academy Public Charter School Administration to discuss bullying prevention. (Andrea Jones and LaJoy Johnson-Law- We, The Motherhood....</p>

<h4>Community Action Groups help Local Mother w/ Bullying Concerns</h4>

<p>"<strong>We call for you to acknowledge that Ward 8 students are equitably accounted for</strong>. Many of the asks today are for a reinstatement of funds cut from the budget, and these cuts disproportionately impact Ward 8 communities. How can we claim to care for Ward 8 when we’ve made such cuts? It’s time that we rectify these oversights by implementing the following asks.."</p>

<h4>LaJoy Johnson-Law Testimony – Joint Budget Oversight Hearing for Education&nbsp;Agencies</h4>

<p>Listen to <strong>LaJoy share some honest reflections and helpful guidance for parents of children who have complex medical conditions. </strong>LaJoy is both an applicant and an advisor, and we’re grateful to collaborate with her and the organization where she works, Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE).</p>

<h4>Conversation With LaJoy Johnson-Law on the Realities of Caregiving</h4>

<p>Below are just a few institutions, collected in consultation with W<strong>ard 8 resident and special-needs parent LaJoy Johnson-Law</strong>, that have been proven to help special-needs students of all ages.</p>

<h4>Tools for Special-Needs Families</h4>

<p>This is especially so for <strong>parents of students with disabilities, who already it find it difficult</strong> to determine how public funds are spent on resources such as special education teachers, books, specific learning material and specialists. </p>

<h4>Parents must know how DC Charter Schools Spend Public Money</h4>

<p>In this final episode of The Friends of Oxon Run Podcast, <strong>LaJoy Johnson-Law </strong>stops by to join LaHannah and Elijah to discuss the necessity for relationships between <strong>advocacy organizations, schools, and the community.</strong></p>

<h4>Friends of Oxon Run Podcast- LaJoy Johnson-Law</h4>

LaJoy has been heavily involved in the education and policy landscape in DC for over 12 years. LaJoy is a fierce subject matter expert in education and has been a fighter for special education, schools east of the river, and children with disabilities and their families. 

LaJoy Johnson-Law for DC State Board of Education, Ward 8

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