Karen Lasley-Slider

Karen Lasley-Slider made history as one of the first Black female firefighters in the Los Angeles Fire Department — at a time when the department was not ready for her, and she showed up anyway. She spent decades on the front lines, not just battling fires, but fighting for her right to be in the room.

Raised in South Central Los Angeles, Karen carried the spirit of her community into every station she entered. The address 31 Benning Place holds deep personal meaning — it is the anchor of her identity and the title she chose for the memoir she always knew she had to write.

Off duty, Karen is a mother, a mentor, and a voice for the women who came after her. She has spoken at community events, schools, and fire stations about what it means to hold the line — both on the job and in life.

31 Benning Place is her first book. She wrote it because the story deserved to be told in her own words — not filtered, not softened, and not forgotten.