“The Babies Come Back as Adults”: A Conversation with LiShanna Langley
Walk into LiShanna Langley’s office and you’ll find two green chairs next to her desk. They don’t stay empty for long — if it isn’t a concerned parent asking about their child at the Early Learning Center, it’s a teacher, staff member, or resident chatting, laughing or crying with her.
It’s a testament to the trust LiShanna has built with everyone in Warren Village that her office is such a frequent stopover for so many. Over 25 years, she has entrenched herself as a leader and a confidant, as well as a warm, honest, and comforting presence.
LiShanna marked her 25-year anniversary at Warren Village in April, making her among the longest-tenured staff members to ever grace our halls. She arrived first as a resident, then as a staff member, and now as Assistant ELC Director.
We sat down with LiShanna to talk about what’s kept her here, the people who shaped her, and what she’s learned about patience, judgment, and the long game.
Congratulations on 25 years. How does it feel to reach this milestone?
It feels great. I work really hard to be consistent — I want to keep things in place, keep routines. So being at one job for 25 years is huge for me. People are surprised, especially younger generations. They’re like, “How old are you? I’ve been here five years already.” It’s a great achievement, and I’m proud of it.
Take us back to the beginning. What brought you to Warren Village as a resident?
I had been on my own since I was 17 or 18. I went to Job Corps, got an apprenticeship in carpentry, tried some office work — but I liked the hard labor. After I came out of Job Corps, I got pregnant. I was trying to keep an apartment with my baby’s father, and it was just hard. It wasn’t abusive or anything like that, it was just hard. A family member told me about Warren Village, so I applied. I already had plans to go back to school and do something better for myself.
I lived with my baby’s father’s aunt for a while — that was actually great, because it let me focus on just being me and my first child, Andre. I was on the waitlist here for six months, and then I was able to move in.
What was it like when you first arrived?
I happened to move in right next door to someone I grew up with in elementary school. So that made things a little easier — we had each other to lean on. We could borrow eggs or milk, watch each other’s kids. It was good to have someone I already knew.
The family advocates were really important to me. Having someone to talk to, someone to cry to — that mattered. There was one advocate, Geri Brown, who was very no-nonsense. You did not want to disappoint her. She helped me make sure I was doing what I needed to do to get myself together.
What do you remember from daily life here as a resident?
I took advantage of everything they had — the life skills classes, the food resources, meeting with my advocate. Christmas at Warren Village was amazing. They had a holiday shop, Santa came to the door — there was a plethora of resources available. And to this day, it’s the same for families here. If you have a family advocate and you want to talk through what you want to do with your life — whether that’s working or going to school — take advantage of it. Do that.
I have five children now. I came in pregnant with my second child and left pregnant with my third — that’s Ariana, who works upstairs at the front desk as assistant housing manager. That’s my daughter.
So your children stayed connected to Warren Village?
All of them. Both boys, Andre and Adrian, actually worked here as teachers after they grew up.
Warren Village has been a part of all our lives for a long time. Even now, my kids will come visit, and there are still people here who know them and are happy to see them.
What inspired you to come back as a staff member?
I felt like I was a good fit, because I knew where the parents were coming from. I had just recently been in the same situation they were in, going through the same experiences. Being able to be that person at the front door, welcoming them, listening to them, helping guide them — I had been doing the same kind of thing the whole time I lived here.
How has your role evolved over those 25 years?
I went from administrative assistant to child enrollment and health specialist, and then into assistant director. Moving from being friends with everyone to supervising them — that’s hard. Everybody was respectful, and that made it easier. But you have to draw clearer lines. There’s no blurry area anymore.
I’ve also had to adapt to a lot of different directors. We’ve had seven or eight since I started. That’s probably the toughest part. I used to get upset when people left. I’d think, you’re giving up on us. You’re giving up on these kids. But I’ve learned — people have to do what’s best for them.
Is there one Warren Village staff member who left a lasting impression on you?
[Former ELC director] Maria Winston. Her picture is still up on the wall. She was just a great person. These kids meant everything to her, and the staff too. She wasn’t afraid to put her foot down with upper management to take care of them.
She was sick a lot toward the end. The doctors told her what was coming, but she did not want to stay in the hospital. She kept checking herself out and coming right back to work.
I remember the day she got off the phone with the doctor. It was the first time I ever saw her break down. She said, “I don’t mind if I die. But what are my kids going to do?” She was talking about her two children. I told her, you’ve raised them so well — they’re going to be okay.
She passed away in September 2009. But her kids are doing so good now. Her son has three kids of his own.
I was adopted when I was two, and I didn’t meet my biological parents until about 12 years ago. When I met my mom, she looked just like Maria. I’ve always wondered if that’s part of why I was so close to her — like something in me recognized something.
What wisdom have you gained from working with young children and families for 25 years?
Not to be judgmental. You can look at a family and immediately start forming opinions, but I’ve learned not to do that. When you hear what someone has actually been through, it changes your whole way of thinking. Then you just want to help. You want to be available.
Especially for the children — they didn’t have a choice in any of it. When a little boy comes in three days in a row in the same clothes, and you know what’s going on with his mom, you don’t judge her. You reach out to the family advocates, you pull in the village, and you try to help.
What are some of the children or families that have stuck with you over the years?
The ones who need extra support always have the biggest piece of my heart. There was a little girl who had an IEP and came back here from school every day before the other kids were awake. We’d play together, talk together. The teachers sometimes had a hard time with her, but one-on-one she was wonderful. At one point there was talk about whether she could even stay here, because nobody could manage her behaviors. But she started getting the services she needed, and watching that change in her — it was just amazing.
What unique perspective do you bring to your work, having experienced Warren Village as both a resident and a staff member?
I can see what level they’re on. I can feel the stress they’re going through and actually empathize with it, not just acknowledge it. And I can say — we’ve all been through times where things went sideways. That’s okay. What matters is what you learn from it, and how you move forward.
Mostly what I want them to hear is: you’re okay. It’s all right to feel sad or angry or upset. But let’s talk about what happens next.
I also tell them — use your time here. Whether you have two years or up to four, it goes by fast. Go to school while you can. Because once you’re out there paying rent, you’re not going to have the same window.
What keeps you passionate about this work after 25 years?
Seeing the results. You’re not going to win every time, but when you do, it stays with you.
The thing that keeps me most connected is that the babies come back as adults. The kids who were here as toddlers are grown now, and they come back. And they say things like, “You guys are the only people I trust.” That’s — I mean, what do you do with that? You just keep going.
You see parents who were in complete denial that their child needed speech therapy or occupational therapy, and then years later they come back and say, “I’m so glad that happened. I don’t know where we’d be without that help.” That’s everything.
What are your hopes for the Early Learning Center — and for Warren Village as a whole?
I’d love to see everyone on board with trauma-informed care — not just leadership, but all staff. We get training at the director level, but a lot of that needs to reach teachers too. Children have a way of making your emotions rise. You get frustrated, you get angry. You have to be able to bring yourself back down before you can effectively work with a child. That takes practice, and it needs to be ongoing.
I’d also love to see more training around supporting kids with higher needs. Teachers get burned out when they’re not equipped, and that’s not their fault — it’s a support issue.
Is there anything you’d want to add or something that came up that you wish I’d asked about?
I just appreciate the effort that Warren Village puts into making people feel appreciated. That’s always been part of my job here — making sure people feel seen. And it goes both ways. That means something to me, and it’s one of the reasons I’m still here.
LiShanna is the Assistant Director of Warren Village’s Early Learning Center. She first came to Warren Village as a resident and has been a staff member for 25 years.
