On Tuesday, March 8, 2022, Lashara Hadiya Black passed away after a battle with end-stage kidney disease. She was 34 years old.

Lashara was preceded in death by her mother, Laura Killian, and her children, Mayco, Tyanna, and Tali. She is survived by her mother, Janet Black, children Zeniyah, Timothy, and Amora, her partner, Larry Sullivan, and her sister, Ashley Farrish. She is also survived by her biological family, including her grandmother, Valerie Hardin, her parents, Lavaile Thomas and Dianne Mills, her sister Lovely Shelton and a host of other relatives and friends.

Lashara was born on March 4, 1988, in Akron, Ohio and grew up primarily in Kent, Ohio. For two years, Lashara and her mother, Janet, lived in the Washington, D.C. area where, as a little girl, Lashara was privileged to meet many movers and shakers within the women’s rights and civil rights movements and witness her mother’s work on behalf of women and girls—even participating in some marches and protests herself. During her school years, Lashara was an excellent student with a talent for creative writing. She was also a great student athlete in soccer, softball, basketball, track, and gymnastics.

Lashara was a vibrant, beautiful, funny, and loving young woman. She had a gift for tenderly and patiently caring for the elderly and the disabled. Her sweet spirit and bright smile could light up a room. She is dearly missed by all who love her.