Today we’d like to introduce you to Lamont Fondern Jr..
Hi Lamont, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
6 years ago, I started working in the field of working with children. I currently work as an Education Paraprofessional with grades 6th-8th at a local charter school in south Minneapolis. I also work for Minneapolis Parks and Recs, as a park recreational specialist and help run the basketball program at Bottineau Park. I am currently in school studying education to become a teacher.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road has been tough for me these past few months mentally and physically. January 24th, 2022 I was shot from an incident of a family member’s vehicle being stolen. I lost a piece of me that night. I fell into a stage of depression. There was days that I didn’t want to get up and do nothing, but I knew that there was some counting on me. Having my students and my basketball teams gave me the motivation to keep going. I felt like if I would have given up, I would have let my students and teams down, because I teach them to never give up no matter what.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My original plan in life was not to work with kids/education, When I was 4 years old, I was sent here to Minnesota to live with my dad, not knowing the situation and really understanding what was going on. That really bothered me and oftentimes I would struggle from time to time. I use to act out because of that. I went to school in Saint Paul, MN where there were not too many teachers of colors, or black male teachers in the classroom. Some of the teachers didn’t understand what I was going through and didn’t really know how to deal with me as a student, and there wasn’t any real educational support back then, for we call today in the educational field today “EBD” (Emotional Behavior Disorder) I didn’t have my first teacher of color until I was in 3rd grade and I didn’t have my first black male teacher until I was in 7th grade. I have worked at many schools throughout the Twin Cities. The very first school I started working at gave me the passion to want to stay in the educational field. What I experienced when I went to school and what I went through as a child, I know that are kids that relate to me, and I use that to build my relationships with my students and players. To embrace, save a life, especially with our students of color. I have been working coaching at Bottineau Park for 6 years with ages 8-18. I am known for working and reaching with the youth. I am very passionate and love what I do as a career.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I would like to thank coach Jay from Bottineau park for teaching how to be a great coach and how to connect with my players as a coach. I wanna thank coach De’Koi Hines for coming in and helping out and being a support with mentoring our youth. My long term mentor since Kindergarten who has supported me through the years and still to this day, Karen Paulsen. I would like to thank Latiesha Barzey, for inspiring me to get back in school, to finish my teaching degree and teaching me different strategies as a person of color of working in the education field. Raheem Simmons and, Jeff Stovall, and Levy Jones seeing other black men in the educational field that inspire me from the work that they have done. I like to thank my Pastor, Dwight Buckner Sr. (Gospel Temple Church) for always encouraging me when I want to give up. Thank you to Johnathan for thinking of me.
Contact Info:
- Email: lfondern26@icloud.com
