Wave Staff Report
COMPTON — When he received his associate degree from Compton College in 2017, Dayshawn Louden wrote on his graduation cap “I’m not supposed to be here.”
Louden was once part of the foster care system. Nationally, less than 5% of youth raised in foster care graduate from four-year universities and only 2-6% earn a degree from a two-year college, according to the National Foster Youth Institute.
The statement also references the fact that only 7% of Black men in the U.S. earn an associate degree.
On that day, Louden was presented with his associate degree in political science and transferred to UCLA on scholarship the following fall. He graduated from UCLA in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in social studies, with an emphasis in ethnic studies, and a minor in education.
“As a result of Compton College’s supportive environment, I received my first A and was on the dean’s honors list for the first time ever,” Louden said of his time at Compton College. “That instilled this belief in me that I can make a plan, set goals, follow through with that plan, and be successful in matriculating. I believe that is also why I was able to transfer to and graduate from the No. 1 public four-year university in the U.S.”
Today, Louden is a case manager of permanent supportive housing at Brilliant Corners, a nonprofit organization and subcontractor for California’s Department of Mental Health. Brilliant Corners provides housing and support services to people experiencing homelessness or transitioning from institutional settings.
Housing case managers serve an important role in breaking the cycle of homelessness by providing long-term, holistic support tailored to each client’s needs. Their work helps ensure that people with complex challenges — such as disabilities, mental health issues, or substance use disorders — can maintain stable housing and improve their quality of life.
Attending Compton College set the wheels in motion for Louden to hone his advocacy and community service leadership. He teamed up with other like-minded students to find ways to help those struggling to complete college and earn degrees.
One classmate, Joshua Jackson, became a lifelong close friend and fellow advocate. During their second year at Compton College, they ran for office in the Associated Student Government, Louden serving as vice present and Jackson serving as president.
“Joshua and I are like peanut butter and jelly,” Louden said. “He knows how to inspire and lead a team, and my thing has always been data and analytics to inform and support our work.”
The two student leaders immediately gathered feedback by talking to Compton College students, staff and faculty to gain information about challenges and needs on campus. Discovering there was a growing number of students on campus facing housing and food insecurity, they brought a group of homeless students to Compton College President Keith Curry’s office so he could learn about the issues they were facing.
Shortly after, a Student Homeless Task Force was established to address housing, food and basic needs for the student body and soon a food pantry opened on campus. Students were also invited to use the gymnasium showers, if needed, and were offered bathroom kits and supplies.
Curry began the years-long process of researching funding avenues for on-campus student housing and then applying for a state grant through Assembly Bill 183.
Coming full circle through their advocacy, which began eight years ago, Louden and Jackson were invited to speak at Compton College’s recent groundbreaking ceremony for the new 250-plus bed student housing facility being built on campus with a targeted completion date of summer 2027.
“I extend my gratitude to all the Compton College faculty and staff members who served as vital role models and mentored me, especially the late, great Ikaweba Bunting [former division chair, social and behavioral sciences] and Joseph Lewis [former student services advisor],” Louden said. “They taught me the power of using my voice to enact change, and that I was in a position to be a social servant, if you will, to assist others. I am proud of the legacy they passed on to me.
“One opportunity we have identified for Compton College and other community colleges is the importance of engaging alumni as active mentors,” Louden said. “The institutions are trying, but there is a vital need for students of color to receive guidance from alumni who come from similar backgrounds.
“There is a deficit in mentorship; I challenge alumni to consider reaching out and volunteering as a mentor. I didn’t get to this point without the many people who lifted me up and helped me in my life.”
Through his own experiences and his work, Louden has realized he can reach many former foster youth because of his shared experiences. There are more than 20,000 youth each year who age out of the foster system and must then determine how to forge their paths in life.
“I’ve made it my mission in life to increase the higher education graduation rate for underserved populations, especially former foster youth,” Louden said.
While continuing his career as a case manager assisting the unhoused, he plans to enter a graduate program at either USC or Cal State Long Beach to earn a master’s degree in social work. In the future, he would like to become a licensed clinical social worker serving foster youth as a psychological and behavioral therapist with his own practice.
