Meet Our Founder

In her first term, Shané established the Fines and Fees Task Force to address predatory financial penalties disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. She also introduced the Jeremy McCole Police Reform Package, aiming to implement comprehensive changes in policing practices to enhance accountability and community trust. Recognizing the importance of housing stability, she engaged with the National League of Cities to have Wilmington participate in the Landlord Engagement Lab, a peer-to-peer network designed to develop strategies for engaging local “mom-and-pop” landlords to prevent evictions and support community members. She now serves as Chair of the Intergovernmental Committee and is a member of the Finance, Public Safety, and Community Development & Urban Planning (CDUP) Committees.

In 2022, Shané ran for State Representative, coming within 90 votes of victory, demonstrating the growing demand for her bold, community-driven leadership.

Born and raised in Wilmington’s 2nd District, she was raised by her immigrant Jamaican mother and stepfather at 27th and Creston. She is now raising her three daughters in the same community, driven by a deep commitment to making Wilmington a thriving, equitable city for all.

Despite becoming a mother in high school, Shané pursued higher education at Temple University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication & African American Studies, followed by a Master’s in Africana Studies with a concentration in Ethnography and Black Women’s Studies.

Her passion for reproductive justice led her to co-found Black Delaware Independent Media, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of Black Delawareans through independent storytelling, investigative journalism, and community-centered news coverage.

She also founded Black Mothers In Power (BMiP), a statewide nonprofit dedicated to improving Black maternal health through education, advocacy, and policy reform. She is currently leading a capital campaign to open a birth center, expanding maternal health access in Wilmington. She also launched Ma’at Community Healing & Art Spaces, a cultural initiative focused on healing through art and community engagement. In addition, she is a trained Postpartum Doula and an advocate for maternal and infant wellness.

At the University of Delaware, Shané has taught in the Women’s Studies, English, and Africana Studies Departments. Her teaching focuses on the intersection of race, gender, and social justice through the lens of Black women’s advocacy, incorporating her love for Hip-Hop, literature, and community organizing. She is also a poet and a fierce advocate for creative expression as a tool for social change. She channels this passion into her radio show, All Black Everythang, where she explores Black history, culture, entertainment, and politics through a radical and unapologetic lens.

Shané is the founder of CWATU (Citywide Wilmington Association of Tenants Union), working to empower renters and fight for tenants’ rights in Wilmington. She is also deeply involved in grassroots organizing as a facilitator at Network Delaware for the Ella J. Baker Black Organizer Group.

Affiliations:

• Network Delaware

• Working Families Party

• Delaware Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)

• NAACP Wilmington Branch

• NAACP Delaware State Conference – Veterans Affairs Committee

• Community Movement Builders

• 2nd Neighborhood Planning Council

• Black Girl Health Collective (Board Member, 2024)

• Brandywine Village Civic Association

• 2nd Ward Democrat Member

• Local Progress Member

• National League of Cities Member

• Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU)

• NAVAB (National Association of Black Veterans)
  

In addition to her work in the community, Shané has served as a paralegal in the Army National Guard since 2012, bringing legal expertise, discipline, and grounded leadership to her advocacy.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Shané enjoys dancing, karaoke, and sharing laughter with friends and family, embracing the joy and connection these activities bring to her life.

A proud ADOS (American Descendant of Slavery), Pan-Africanist, and advocate for Black liberation, Shané is committed to building grassroots power, strengthening community-led initiatives, and ensuring Wilmington’s residents have a voice in shaping the city’s future.