Aimy Steele | |
|---|---|
| Born | Aimy Shantel La'Nae Steele 1978or1979(age 46–47) [1] |
| Education | University of North Carolina at Charlotte (BA, MEd, PhD) |
| Known for | Founder of New North Carolina Project |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Michael Steele |
| Children | 5 |
Aimy Shantel La'Nae Steele (born 1978 or 1979) is an American businesswoman, nonprofit executive, and former educator who is the founder and CEO of the New North Carolina Project. A member of the Democratic Party, she was a candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in 2018 and 2020.
Aimy Shantel La'Nae Steele [2] was raised in a military family and lived in Japan during part of her childhood. [3]
Steele graduated with her bachelor's degree in Spanish language from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. [2] She later earned her master's degree in school administration and a Doctor of Philosophy in curriculum and instruction from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. [4] [5]
Steele worked as a teacher for over 10 years and was the principal of Beverly Hills Elementary School from 2014 to 2018. [2] [6]
Steele began her real estate career in 2005, starting as a broker for Prudential Real Estate. [4] She is a realtor and developer in North Carolina. [7] She is also the CEO of Reach Consulting, a test preparation company. [8] [7]
In 2018 [1] and 2020, Steele was the Democratic nominee for the 82nd district of the North Carolina House of Representatives, narrowly losing both elections. [9] [10] She conducted most of her second campaign virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [3]
After her time as a candidate, Steele became active in local politics and founded the Black Political Caucus in Cabarrus County. She is credited with helping elect five Black representatives in the county's government. [11]
During the 2024 presidential election, Steele worked for the Harris campaign in North Carolina; focusing on Black and Hispanic voter outreach. [12]
In 2021, Steele founded the New North Carolina Project; a nonprofit organization that works to register and turnout voters regardless of party. [13] [14] The project was modeled after voter mobilization efforts like the New Georgia Project. [15]
Steele won the "Emerging Leader in the Social Justice/Community Advocacy" category of the 2024 EQUALibrium Awards by WFAE. [16]
Steele is Baptist and fluent in Spanish. [2] [4] She is married to Michael Steele, a pastor. [5] [6] They have five children and live in Concord, North Carolina. [7]