Lamont Lilly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lamont Lilly | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1979 (age 45–46) |
| Occupation(s) | Political activist and journalist |
| Political party | Workers World Party (2011–2018) |
Lamont Lilly (born 1979) is an American writer, political activist, and community organizer based in Durham, North Carolina. He is also a former vice-presidential candidate with the Workers World Party in the 2016 presidential election.
Lamont Lilly was born in 1979 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States.[1] He served in the United States Army Reserve, being honorably discharged in 2001.[2] In 1998 Lilly moved to Durham, North Carolina, and enrolled at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), studying criminal justice. He graduated in 2003. Lilly initially aspired to become a lawyer. During his sophomore year of college he worked at a store at Northgate Mall, and while there he allowed a friend to use his employee discount. He later confessed and was convicted of felony embezzlement. He subsequently struggled to maintain employment and for a time became homeless. He later credited these experiences with shaping his views of homelessness and the criminal justice system.[3]
Shortly after graduating from NCCU, he pursued graduate studies in sociology, also at NCCU, but decided to forego traditional education and worked for several years as a grassroots non-profit program coordinator, focusing on Black youth leadership and academic development. His focus on Black youth and families continued as he became an activist and community organizer.[2][1] In 2005 Lilly was hired by NCCU to serve the director of its African American Male Leadership Academy. He left the job in 2008.[3]