Rita Walters currently serves on the Board of Library Commissioners for the Los Angeles Public Library

Los Angeles Public Library

The Los Angeles Public Library system serves the residents of Los Angeles, California, United States. With over 6 million volumes, LAPL is one of the largest publicly funded library systems in the world. The system is overseen by a Board of Library Commissioners with five members appointed by the...

. Prior to this position, she served on the Los Angeles City Council

Los Angeles City Council

The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles.The Council is composed of fifteen members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tempore are chosen by the Council at the first regular meeting after...

 representing the 9th district. During that time, she chaired the Arts, Health & Humanities Committee. And prior to this, she was on the Los Angeles Unified School District's Board of Education (1979—1991).

Walters graduated from Shaw University

Shaw University

Shaw University, founded as Raleigh Institute, is a private liberal arts institution and historically black university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1865, it is the oldest HBCU in the Southern United States....

 and has an MBA from UCLA.

In March 2009, Walters was made 'Person of the Week' on the popular British podcast Vaguely Live Radio after she was discovered during the 'Random Wikipedia Page' feature.