Janey Lamar is breaking glass ceilings and is honored to know she has become an inspiration
for many young women in her community.
After earning her degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, passing two bar exams — Michigan and California — and establishing herself in the field of law, Lamar became the first African American and the first female Magistrate for Saginaw County District Court when she was hired in 2023.
In an interview on the “Spill the Beans” podcast, Lamar expressed the importance of representation in all career paths and industries. But speaking specifically on her experience as a Black woman in law, she shares that only about 2% of all attorneys employed in the United States are Black women and that Saginaw County has never had a Black female judge. “Letting youth know early on, ‘I can be a magistrate. I can be a judge. I can be a referee. I can be so many different things. I can be an attorney.’ Students should not be afraid to explore careers and causes they are passionate about. The world needs our talents and gifts and when we delay pursuing purpose, we delay building community.”
As a Possible Dream participant from 2000 until she graduated from Saginaw High and the Saginaw Arts & Sciences Academy in 2006, Lamar was encouraged to think big and dream big.
“[The program] helped us see what was possible and dream outside of regular academics,” said Lamar. “It gave us a preview of what was ahead on our pathways toward careers and adulthood.”
For many young people, going to college can be a far-off dream and insecurities of what they are capable of may elicit doubt of their potential. That’s where the Possible Dream program comes in. The program, which is fully funded by donations, has been working since 1992 to remove those insecurities and doubts for middle school and high school students in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
Delta’s Annual fundraiser, A Chocolate Affair, raises funds for Possible Dream activities and scholarships. This year’s event is scheduled for Thursday, November 7 at HORIZONS Conference Center in Saginaw. For more information, sponsorship opportunities or to purchase your tickets, visit delta.edu/chocolateaffair.