Lieutenant Commander Holmes became the first woman African American helicopter pilot for the Coast Guard in 2010.
Pictured is this photo are Lt. Cmdr. La'Shanda Holmes (second from the left) with fellow pilots Cmdr. Jeanine Menze , Lt. Angel Hughes, Lt. Chanel Lee and Lt. Ronaqua Russell, in 2019. These pilots are role models and an inspiration for girls of color who want to fly.