Welcome to the LaShauna Matthews Center
Some stories deserve to be told with care. Some lives deserve to be remembered out loud. And some losses call us to build something better.
Welcome to the LaShauna Matthews Center. We are a nonprofit created to confront and eradicate racism and discrimination in healthcare—but at our core, we are about people, dignity, and the belief that everyone deserves to be cared for with urgency, respect, and compassion.
Why We’re Here
The LaShauna Matthews Center was founded because too many people are harmed—not by a lack of medicine or technology—but by bias, dismissal, and unequal treatment inside the healthcare system.
We believe healthcare is a human right, not a privilege. And we believe no one should have to fight to be seen, heard, or believed when their life is on the line.
Our work exists to help restore trust between medical systems and the communities they serve, to educate and empower patients and families, and to advocate for real, lasting change in policy and practice.
Who LaShauna Was
LaShauna Janice Matthews was born on February 10, 1989, in Los Angeles, California, to her loving and devoted mother, Sherae Long. As the oldest of five children, LaShauna naturally became the protector, encourager, and example for her siblings.
She was joyful, affectionate, and wonderfully silly. Her laughter filled rooms, and her smile had a way of lifting everyone around her. While her life included significant medical challenges, her family quickly learned that LaShauna’s spirit would always be stronger than her circumstances.
LaShauna was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at just two and a half years old. Over time, she was also diagnosed with Epilepsy, Hypertension, Osteoporosis, End Stage Kidney Disease, and severe anemia. Between 2017 and 2020 alone, she experienced more than forty hospitalizations.
Her body was small, but her strength was mighty. Her faith was deep. LaShauna never saw herself as broken or limited—she saw herself as God saw her: strong, beautiful, and wonderfully made.
When people told her what she would never do, LaShauna quietly showed them what she could.
She walked when doctors said she wouldn’t.
She learned independence when others doubted her ability.
She read, wrote, prayed, laughed, and lived with intention and awareness.
Her ponytails weren’t always perfect—but perfection was never the point. Dignity was.
LaShauna lived perseverance every single day.
Learn Her StoryWhat We Stand For
Everything we do at the LaShauna Matthews Center is guided by our core values:
- Equity - Everyone deserves the same level of care.
- Justice - Humane treatment should be the rule, not the exception.
- Empowerment - We help communities know their rights and speak up with confidenc.
- Accountability - Systems must take responsibility for harm and failure.
- Compassion - Our work is rooted in empathy, faith, healing, and hope.
- Integrity - We lead with honesty, transparency, and deep respect for LaShauna’s legacy.
- Action - We believe in turning pain into purpose and purpose into impact.
- Partnership - This work takes all of us, together.
- Legacy - LaShauna’s life continues to guide everything we do.
Join Us
This work isn’t easy—but it is necessary. And it’s not meant to be done alone.
Whether you are a patient, caregiver, advocate, provider, policymaker, or ally, there is space for you here. We invite you to learn with us, walk alongside us, and help us create a healthcare system where everyone is treated with dignity and care.
Thank you for being here.
This is just the beginning.
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