Donna Lynn Lamont

Description

The Weeksville School (P.S. 243) PTA president, Ms. DonnaLynn Lamont, discusses a myriad of topics in regards to the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn from living there from the mid 1990s to 2017. In her interview she covered education in Brooklyn and Jamaica, race relations, parenting, community engagement, crime, and above all her role as a PTA president for the P.S. 243. Born and raised in Saint Andrews Parish in Jamaica, Lamont spends time speaking about growing up in the ten-mile district of Jamaica. She describes the Saint Andrews community as a familial environment and discusses the quality of education afforded to children there. In reminiscing her childhood Lamont recalls her own educational experiences in Jamaica. This includes participating in music programs, her love for math, attending electrical classes, being a peer mediator, and learning Jamaican culture and history. Lamont shares her first experiences with moving to America in 1996 and Lamont spends much time juxtaposing Jamaica to Brooklyn. In comparing the two different regions, Lamont highlights the differences in racial attitudes, educational philosophies, and community togetherness. In addition, Lamont reveals her experience becoming actively involved in her children’s education, which eventually leads to her becoming the Weeksville School PTA. She talks about the task of getting parents involved with the PTA and attempting to build a stronger community through her work as a the PTA president. This includes promoting a school talent show, advocating for more after-school programs, connecting community organizations to strengthen community ties, and advocating for a...

From Collection

Voices of Crown Heights