Cmdr. Lakisha Washington is a prime example of how a firm goal, grit and sheer determination can help a person overcome adversity. Growing up in Slidell, Washington was a shy, young girl living in severe poverty. Now a self-assured woman with an authoritative presence, Washington credits her 25 years in the United States Navy with giving her the path to rise above the hardships she faced as a child and strive for a better life.
“It was a challenge growing up. We lived in a pretty rundown trailer, and when it rained, we’d have to put out pans to catch the water coming through the roof,” Washington said.
She was a good student at Slidell High School and participated in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, or ROTC, for her freshman and sophomore year. She had to miss her junior year in the program when she became pregnant but returned for her senior year. The program gave her, a single mom of a single mom, a direction for her life, according to Washington…