LaToshia Cannon blends school leadership, foster care advocacy and youth mentorship

LaToshia Cannon, an assistant principal at Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Washington, D.C., is being profiled for her work in education, foster parenting and youth advocacy. Her approach centers on trauma-informed leadership, family engagement and helping students and young women build confidence and stability.

Why it matters: - LaToshia Cannon’s work sits at the intersection of education, foster care and family support, where student outcomes often depend on coordinated adult support. - Her emphasis on trauma-informed care, culturally responsive practices and family partnership reflects the needs of schools serving multilingual learners, children with disabilities and families facing housing instability. - Cannon’s message to young professionals adds a workforce angle: effective service roles require boundaries, mental health support and sustainable self-care.

What happened: - Influential Women profiled LaToshia Cannon as an educational leader, foster parent, advocate and certified life coach. - Cannon serves as assistant principal at Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Washington, D.C. - The profile highlights Cannon’s more than 20 years in education and her focus on student success, family engagement and youth empowerment. - Cannon earned a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology from Howard University. - Cannon began her career as an educational aide before moving into special education teaching. - Cannon became a licensed foster parent in 2008 after fostering informally for years. - Cannon is developing a book titled Dear Black Girl, You Are Normal. - The profile includes a link to Cannon’s Influential Women profile.

The details: - At Harriet Tubman Elementary School, Cannon focuses on instructional leadership, early childhood education and special education support. - Cannon works in a school community with many multilingual learners and families experiencing housing instability. - Cannon uses trauma-informed care to help families understand their children’s mental health and educational needs. - Cannon connects parents with resources and encourages them to advocate for their children. - Cannon says leadership is defined by relationships, consistency and empathy, not job titles. - As a foster parent, Cannon has cared for teenagers and helped young people facing trauma, instability and loss. - Cannon believes children should be seen as whole people, not defined by their circumstances or by the foster care system. - Cannon’s philosophy centers on the idea that every child has a “superpower” that adults can help uncover. - Cannon says young people often need patience, repetition, consistency and hard work rather than quick fixes. - Dear Black Girl, You Are Normal is intended to reinforce identity, individuality and belonging for young women. - Cannon credits resiliency, learning, creativity and positivity for helping her navigate challenges. - Cannon also credits strong professional relationships and guidance for her growth as a leader. - Cannon says one of the most valuable lessons she has learned is that she does not have to fix everything. - Cannon says healthy boundaries help her support others without overextending herself. - Cannon advises young women in education, foster care and related fields to learn about trauma and mental health. - Cannon warns against treating children as charity cases or people who need to be rescued. - Cannon says young people need guidance, structure, love, resources and consistent support. - Cannon also urges caregivers and professionals to protect their own mental health through therapy, support systems or other healthy outlets. - Cannon sees schools facing heavier demands from academic, behavioral and social-emotional needs while also protecting educator well-being. - Cannon sees opportunities in instructional strategies, interventions, inclusive practices, data and technology. - Cannon believes strong family partnerships are essential to student-centered education. - Cannon says schools can produce lasting results when they build inclusive environments and invest in both educators and students. - Cannon’s core values include service, integrity, trust, relationships, growth and faith. - Cannon says faith guides her to lead with compassion, humility and purpose.

Between the lines: - The profile frames Cannon as a leader who rejects a rescue narrative and instead promotes partnership, dignity and shared responsibility. - The emphasis on boundaries and self-care suggests a broader message for helping professions: compassion works best when it is sustainable. - The book project points to Cannon’s focus on identity and empowerment beyond her school role.

What's next: - Cannon is continuing her work at Harriet Tubman Elementary School while advancing her book project and her mentorship role. - Her broader focus remains helping students, families and foster youth build stronger and healthier futures. - For schools, the profile points to continued demand for leaders who can combine instructional skill with emotional support and community trust.

The bottom line: - Cannon’s profile presents leadership as relational work: support students, empower families, care for foster youth and stay grounded in empathy and resilience.