Candidate for
Board Member; Los Angeles Unified School District; District 5

MARIA Lou CALANCHÉ The Community's Champion for Children

Raised in the heart of the Boyle Heights community of Los Angeles Maria Lou Calanché ("Lou") has the background, experience and courage to ensure the children who attend Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools receive the quality education they deserve.

"Lou" grew up in the Ramona Gardens housing development; a neighborhood troubled with gangs and drugs and limited access to critical educational and recreational resources and activities. A graduate of Lincoln High School, "Lou" witnessed many of her peers fall prey to negative influences and eventually drop out of school. This had a profound impact on her and gave her the motivation to earn an Undergraduate Degree in Political Science from Loyola Marymount University and pursue both a Masters and Doctorate Degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. She is the first person in her family to attend a university.

"Lou's" professional career path makes her uniquely qualified to tackle the myriad of issues faced by LAUSD. As the owner of her own business, "Lou" helps small businesses and community-based organizations navigate the City of Los Angeles' cumbersome land use permit process and in turn, helps stimulate economic growth and provides sorely needed amenities in inner-city neighborhoods. As a council deputy for the City of Los Angeles, she worked with communities in Northeast Los Angeles to ensure they receive their fair share of city resources to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. In her role as the civilian chairperson of the LAPD Hollenbeck Division Community Police Advisory Board, she was instrumental in advocating for the creation of the City Attorney's Neighborhood Prosecutor Program, an innovative crime prevention program that is responsible for the elimination of hundreds of neighborhood nuisances. Serving as a commissioner for the City of Los Angeles El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument Commission (Olvera Street) has given "Lou" an insight into governmental processes and helped her develop the skills needed to effectively advocate for sound legislative policy that benefits the community.

Currently, "Lou" is a professor at East Los Angeles Community College, teaching at both the East LA and South Gate Campuses. When she discovered that many of her students who are graduates of LAUSD were not adequately prepared to enter four-year educational institutions, she decided to seek a seat on the LAUSD board. "Lou" knows that without access to a higher education, our kids will not have the skills they need to become professionals or achieve their full potential as citizens of this country. She is the ONLY candidate with the educational background, entrepreneurial know-how, governmental experience and courage needed to stand up to the special interests and improve our school system.

The community supports "Lou" because she has lived and worked to improve conditions in her neighborhood for over 20 years. That is why she has been honored by Madres del Este de Los Angeles as an Unsung Hero, named an Honorary Deputy Fire Chief by the Los Angeles City Fire Department, received an award from the Soto Street Elementary Parents and presented with the Cesar Chavez Award from the TELACU scholarship Fund.

"Lou" Lives in Highland Park and is the proud aunt of two young girls enrolled in LAUSD. She has a personal stake in ensuring that the LAUSD provides quality education for all students and she has the courage to be a Champion for our Children.