Laterria is pronounced La-Terra. Although the "I" is silent, she is not silent when it comes to advocating for children in Charlotte.

She graduated from Central Piedmont in 2016 with a degree in Early Childhood Education. 

"I believe that Central Piedmont is the best college in the country," Laterria says, "I am extremely grateful for the connections created during my time spent there."

While her degree prepared her for her career, being a mother to her five children inspired her to speak out against injustice in education. 

Laterria works at Open Door School, a progressive preschool at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte. Her work at the school also includes passionately advocating for early childhood education to those in government who would like to improve it, such as North Carolina Senator Jeff Jackson who visited the school in 2018. 

In 2019, Laterria started a business where she offers support to families with childcare, home care, and adult care needs. She offers special support to other caregivers through a program under the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA). She interned at the NDWA to learn how to advocate for issues that affect care workers in adult-care facilities and in childcare centers.

Laterria attributes her success to her faith. She is a member of Flowing Life Church and Outreach Center, and takes every opportunity to give back to the community. 

She also values the community of educators she met during her time at Central Piedmont.

"I continue to stay connected with my Central Piedmont instructors," Laterria says, "we work to find ways to enrich the life of educators so they can speak up for children whose voice is often unheard."

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