DeJonaé Shaw

The odds were stacked against me growing up with an absent father and a mother battling addiction. I pieced together a challenging childhood, sought out mentors, and worked hard to lift myself out of the cycle of poverty and addiction that traps too many. I rose above the negative influences that surrounded me to protect my siblings and I took on parenting roles as a child to make sure my brothers and sisters were fed and succeeded in school.

I know a strong education and hard work create opportunities to build a better life. When a car accident sidelined my dreams as a young graduate and left me homeless, I saved up and fought to get back on my feet again. I worked nights and attended classes during the day to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). For more than a decade now, I have been helping people in San Bernardino County get healthy. When COVID-19 hit our community, I did what I have always done — helped people in need. I stepped up with my coworkers to help keep patients safe and helped local businesses and families access support services.As an experienced LVN, I also became a leader in my health care union by advocating for the National Workplace Violence Prevention Health Care and Social Service Workers Act and helping to fight for fair contracts that improve wages and patient care.

Developing new leaders and mentoring are lifelong passions for me. I created Greater Empire Pageants to help empower hundreds of young people to find their confidence and build up their self-esteem. I’ve also partnered with Just Us 4 Youth and the Young Women’s Empowerment Summit. In addition to  serving as Vice Chair of the Legislation and Education Committee at my union and starting my own local business, I serve as a board member for the Optimist Youth and Family Home Services, and I’m an active member of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Community Information Exchange program, the Democratic Party Central Committee, and the Democratic Club of the Inland Valley.

In the State Assembly, I will fight for everyone in the community to succeed. I have the experience we need to fight for good-paying jobs, economic stability, housing working people can afford, workforce housing, water infrastructure, investments in trades, investments in education, safer neighborhoods.

Endorsements

Ulises Cabrera, Mayor of Moreno Valley
Randall Ceniceros, Mountain View School District Board Member
Brandy Clark, Moreno Valley Unified School District Board Vice President
Letitia Clark, Tustin Mayor Pro Tem
Grace Garner, Mayor of Palm Springs
Jenna Guzman Lowery, Redlands City Councilmember
Channing Hawkins, West Valley Water District Board Director
Chris Holden, State Assemblymember
Bhavin Jindal, Loma Linda City Councilmember
Connie Leyva, State Senator (Ret.)
Tina McKinnor, State Assemblymember
Gaby Plascencia, Riverside City Councilmember
Dr. Jennifer Quezada, Fontana School Board Member
Mars Serna, Fontana School Board President
Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, State Senator
Eddie Tejeda, Mayor of Redlands
Helen Tran, Mayor of San Bernardino
Ruben Valencia, Ontario City Councilmember
AFSCME Local 3634
Heat and Frost Insulators Local 5
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 36
UA Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 364
UA Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 398
United Steelworkers Inland Empire Legislation and Education Committee
United Steelworkers Local 675