Erika Harrell is a proud ward 7 resident and education enthusiast who is passionate about supporting economic, political, and educational health for Washington DC residents. She believes firmly in advocating for equitable solutions to centuries-old systems that have marginalized Black and Brown DC residents, especially those residing East of the River. Some of her top advocacy issues over the years have been teacher pay, mental health support, public health and safety, and a fairer education system.

After four years of working in California education and earning her Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University, Erika moved to the Hillbrook Neighborhood of her dream home, Washington DC with her family.  Erika was excited for her children to experience the rich cultural history and opportunity of living in Washington DC, but immediately noticed striking disparities between too many neighborhoods East of the River, compared to West of the River. Erika immediately sought to contribute, starting by learning the ins and outs of DC’s robust education system, history and government, then applying what she learned to advocacy.

With more than ten years of advocacy experience in k-12 education and leadership training as well as eight years of fieldwork experience, Erika is well-versed in DC’s education and political landscape. Erika also has extensive narrative and leadership training that she has offered to support authentic stories that celebrate the strengths of communities and highlight where city leaders can bolster their efforts through additional funding and legislative measures.

Erika’s commitment to students and wealth of knowledge has resulted in partnerships throughout our education ecosystem that have helped to advocate for students across Washington DC. She has spent more than ten years partnering with her Washington DC neighbors including parents, school leaders, community leaders, and a host of other DC advocates. She has utilized her background in leadership, education, and literature, as well as drawn on her in depth childhood experiences of living in underfunded communities, to support families and other community members seeking to navigate DC’s education and political landscapes.

The health of communities East of the River is not just business for Erika. She has seen first-hand as a first-generation college graduate and parent, that education, quality resources, and a supportive community can offer a strong platform for children to realize their own dreams; so they can shape their own futures. Just as the path was laid to empower Erika as a parent and leader, Erika has consistently looked for opportunities to empower others. The process of advocating for a reasonable quality of life can be overwhelming when there are so many systems to navigate. Erika delights in the challenge to make those systems more accessible and within the power of those who need it most.

Erika has a demonstrated level of commitment to equitable access and empowering families by being a consistent and faithful member of DC’s education landscape. She has sat on the Parent Advisory Council for My School DC, the current school lottery facilitator in Washington DC, The Mayor’s Cross-Sector Collaboration Task Force, The Parent and Alumni Leadership Council with the Public Charter School Board, and The governing board for Parent Amplifying Voices in Education early policy committee, particularly around mental health. She also led efforts for DC Education Leaders of Color and was a member of UNCF’s leadership group. Erika has partnered with Lyft, MySchoolDC, Public Charter School Board, a myriad of LEAs including DC Public Schools, Kindred, and Black Lives Matter DC.

Outside of formal advocacy, Erika writes children’s books that center on the African Diaspora in ways that validate African descent experiences and encourages young readers to dream beyond the limits that society places on them. She lives in Hillbrook with her husband, children, two cats, and an increasing number of books on everything from Michelle Obama’s The Light We Carry to Kwame Mbalia’s Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky.