Lamont Lilly facts for kids

Lamont Lilly (born 1979) is an American writer, political activist, and community organizer. He lives in Durham, North Carolina. He also ran for Vice President with the Workers World Party in the 2016 presidential election.

Early Life and Learning Journey

Lamont Lilly was born in 1979 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA. He served in the United States Army Reserve and was honorably discharged in 2001.

College and Early Challenges

In 1998, Lilly moved to Durham, North Carolina. He started studying criminal justice at North Carolina Central University (NCCU). He graduated in 2003. Lamont Lilly first wanted to become a lawyer.

During his college years, he faced a difficult legal situation. This experience, along with a period of not having a stable home, greatly influenced his views. It helped him understand more about people facing homelessness and the justice system.

Focus on Youth Leadership

After graduating from NCCU, he began graduate studies in sociology. However, he decided to work directly in the community instead. For several years, he was a coordinator for non-profit programs. These programs focused on helping Black youth develop leadership skills and succeed in school.

His work with Black youth and families continued as he became an activist. In 2005, NCCU hired Lilly to direct their African American Male Leadership Academy. He left this job in 2008.

Activism and Writing

Lamont Lilly is known for his work as an activist and journalist. He has been involved in many important movements.

Joining Political Movements

In 2011, Lilly took part in the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City. That same year, he joined the Workers World Party (WWP). By 2015, he became a paid organizer for the party.

He served as the party's candidate for Vice President in the 2016 presidential election. Lilly left the party in 2018, but he still believes in socialist ideas.

From 2013 to 2018, Lilly was a key activist in Durham. He was a leader in the Durham branch of the WWP. He was also an early member of the Black Alliance for Peace.

International Human Rights Work

In 2010, Lilly traveled to Colombia in South America. He went as a human rights representative with Witness for Peace. There, he spoke up for Indigenous and Afro-Colombian people who had been forced to leave their homes.

In 2015, he visited Syria and Lebanon. In Beirut, he spoke about the Black Lives Matter movement at a forum for justice in Palestine. In Damascus, he met with members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Protests and Social Justice

Lilly has participated in many protests across the United States. He was involved in the 2015 Baltimore protests after the death of Freddie Gray. He also joined the "Days of Grace" actions in Charleston, SC, after a racist attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

He has been present at many events related to racial discrimination. He shares his experiences as an activist and journalist for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Lilly was part of the protests in Ferguson after the 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown Jr.. He was also at the 2016 Standing Rock protests. Later, he led rallies to support activists who took down a Confederate statue in Durham in 2017.

He has helped lead demonstrations in many cities. These include Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York City, Oakland, Philadelphia, and San Diego.

Journalism and Public Speaking

Lamont Lilly has written for several newspapers. These include The Durham News, The Herald-Sun, and Triangle Tribune. As of 2020, he writes regularly for Truthout.

He has also been a guest speaker and led workshops. He has visited colleges and universities like the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Marshall University, and Malcolm X College.

Community Contributions

Lilly has received awards for his community work. In 2015, Indy Week gave him the Local Hero Citizen's Award. This was for "pushing for workers' rights and police reform." In 2017, he was named Spectacular Magazine Man of the Year for "human rights and social justice."

The Courier Newsroom recognized Lilly as one of their "Heroes of 2020." This was for his ongoing activism in the Movement for Black Lives. He credits many people with helping him develop his political ideas. These include Monica Moorehead, Pam Africa, Mark Anthony Neal, and Mumia Abu-Jamal.

He also says that the writings of Thomas Sankara, Lucille Clifton, Amiri Baraka, Henry Dumas, Sonia Sanchez, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Kwame Nkrumah influenced his beliefs.

Lilly currently lives in Old Hayti. This is a historic African-American community in Durham. He is also a member of the Alpha Kappa chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.