MEET ELMA
Elma‑Lorraine Diggs is a proud MCPS mom, a committed community leader, and a lifelong advocate shaped by resilience, service, and an unwavering belief in the power of education. As the mother of two MCPS students—a fifth grader and a second grader—she understands firsthand what families need from their schools and why strong, student‑centered policies matter.
As PTA President, Elma‑Lorraine has worked tirelessly to ensure that parents have a meaningful voice in their children’s educational journey. She knows that when families, educators, and administrators work together—and when policies are followed with integrity—students thrive. Elma‑Lorraine’s commitment to advocacy began long before she became a parent. As a child, she survived Liberia’s civil war, losing everything before coming to the United States and entering the MCPS school system. MCPS became her foundation—a place where she rebuilt, learned, and dreamed again. That experience ignited a lifelong dedication to standing up for those whose needs are too often overlooked.
Guided by that purpose, Elma‑Lorraine built a career at USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), where she worked to save lives, alleviate suffering, and reduce the impact of crises around the world. In her role, she turned policy into protection, spreadsheets into shelter, and budgets into bread. She has stood beside health‑care workers during outbreaks, fought for clean water in flooded communities, and championed education for children whose classrooms were reduced to dust.
Her work is grounded in compassion, accountability, and the belief that every child—no matter where they live—deserves safety, dignity, and opportunity.
Encouraged by friends, colleagues, and fellow parents, Elma‑Lorraine is now stepping forward to serve her own community in a new way. As a survivor turned humanitarian, a product of MCPS, and a mother deeply invested in the district’s future, she is running for the MCPS Board of Education, District 5 to advocate for students and families whose needs and resources require stronger support. Elma‑Lorraine Diggs is ready to bring her lived experience, her professional expertise, and her heart for service back home—to the school system that helped shape her and to the children who will shape our future.
Vote for Elma‑Lorraine Diggs for MCPS Board of Education, District 5.
