Rooted in Oakland, Rebuilding With Love with LaToya Green

LaToya Green is the kind of person who shows up with presence, purpose, and a quiet strength that resonates beyond the moment. Born and raised in Oakland, she represents four generations of deep community ties and a legacy of navigating change with grace.

Today, she serves as the Coordinated Entry Specialist at BOSS (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency), where she assists individuals and families in securing permanent housing and regaining stability. But her story, like so many who lead with love at BOSS, runs deeper than a job title.

LaToya raised two children as a single mother, eventually moving to Castro Valley to create a safer path for her son, all while staying connected to her roots in Oakland. After years in the corporate sector, LaToya transitioned to nonprofit work, starting in domestic violence services and later finding her niche at BOSS.

"I needed to do something that mattered," she shares. "When I help someone get housing, it’s not just a check mark. It’s about giving them something real. A space to heal, to breathe, to begin again."

Her empathy isn’t just professional—it’s personal. LaToya brings her own lived experience into the room with dignity and care. She's walked through domestic violence, held space for grief after the loss of her children’s fathers, and supported loved ones returning home from incarceration. These experiences inform her work and reinforce BOSS's mission: real people helping real people rebuild their lives.

When asked what she wants the world to know about BOSS, LaToya is clear:

People think BOSS only does reentry work—but we do so much more. We walk with people through housing, mental health, trauma, and healing. We meet folks where they are. And we create space that feels safe and familiar, with people who understand.

Now an empty nester, LaToya is learning to prioritize herself and growing spiritually with a higher purpose, finding peace within and striving to live with intention and passion each day. She is finding joy in hiking, movement, and wellness practices. She’s transparent about the challenges as well: burnout, perimenopause, and the emotional weight of this work. And yet, she shows up. For her team. For her clients. For the community.

LaToya is one of many reasons to believe in BOSS.

She is part of a lineage of women who transform lived experience into leadership. Her story is not an exception but a reflection of the deep care woven into BOSS programs every day.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make a difference in your community, supporting BOSS is a place to start. Your donation isn’t just going to a cause.

It’s an investment in people like LaToya, and the lives they touch.

What Is A Coordinated Entry Specialist?

For over 50 years, BOSS (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency) has walked alongside communities impacted by systemic injustice—housing insecurity, incarceration, and poverty. Rooted in social justice, our work centers dignity, safety, and belonging.

At a time when access to housing remains deeply inequitable, and Black and Brown families continue to face displacement at disproportionate rates, the work of our Housing Navigators and Coordinated Entry Specialists are essential.

These roles operate in tandem to guide individuals and families from crisis to stability, each step rooted in care and precision. The Coordinated Entry Specialist is often the first point of connection, listening with intention, assessing vulnerability, and identifying pathways through a system that was never built with equity in mind. They ensure no one falls through the cracks by managing referrals, verifying eligibility, and coordinating with agencies to make sure housing matches are made swiftly and responsibly.

From there, Housing Navigators take the baton—walking side by side with participants to translate those matches into real-life stability. They support clients through housing searches, lease-ups, and move-ins, all while advocating for their rights and breaking down barriers with consistency and trust.

Together, this team ensures that people are not navigating these systems alone. Their work lives in restored agency, safe nights indoors, and futures that become possible again.

The need for Coordinated Entry Specialists is growing. With more people reaching out for support, this role is vital to ensuring BOSS remains a strong entry point to care. They are system connectors working behind the scenes to make sure every journey toward housing is seen, tracked, and supported.

This work isn’t easy. But it’s worth it. Every time someone says, ‘Thank you for seeing me,’ that’s when I know we’re doing what we’re supposed to do. LaToya Green

🖤 Donate today to support BOSS life-changing programs, and help us continue hiring, training, and uplifting leaders like LaToya who walk beside the community, not ahead of it.