Imanalla!
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Alba Lamar, IRT ’14, has joined the IRT as our new Arts and Sciences Program Specialist. A Lënapehòkin-born Andean African-descendant, Alba is a lifelong artivist, educator, independent scholar, and widely published author. Her work is deeply rooted in the study of rematriation, Land-based knowledges, liberation, and abolition. Through the lenses of #guerrilladiscourse, Hip Hop, and Tattoo epistemologies, she explores thriving ontologies and anticolonialism.
Alba brings two decades of experience teaching students from infancy through college, including pre-service teachers. Her career is distinguished by the development of social and environmental justice curricula and resources for parents and educators, with a steadfast focus on Black Liberation, Indigenous Sovereignty, and sustaining, revitalizing pedagogies. Her professional journey has spanned Florida, New York City, Michigan, California, and Shanghai, China. An alumna of the 2014 IRT Associate Program, Alba earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education from Michigan State University. She also holds a Master of Science in Education from CUNY Hunter College and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Linguistics from the University of Central Florida.
Dr. Alba Lamar, IRT ’14
Alba’s connection to our mission is profound. Following her doctoral studies, she served as an IRT Statement of Purpose Advisor in 2021, 2023, and 2025. In this role, she drew upon her lived experience and academic expertise to help aspiring graduate students craft powerful narratives that define their purpose and intellectual curiosity.
As she steps into the role of Arts and Sciences Program Specialist, Alba’s dedication to nurturing underrepresented future educators aligns perfectly with the IRT’s commitment to advocacy and mentorship. We are honored to have her expertise as we continue to expand career paths and elevate the next generation of educational leaders.
The Road to IRT
We make decisions with purpose, honesty, adaptability, and ensure our work is sustainable and, through advocacy, mentorship, and opportunity, we fight to expand career paths and raise up future educational leaders.
Alba Lamar, IRT ’14
While teaching in Shanghai, China in 2013, a fellow co-worker and Ultimate frisbee friend, Ian Nifoussi, told me about his wonderful IRT experience. After a decade of teaching, I participated in the 2014 IRT Associate Program, and thanks to the wonderful support and advice of Asabe Poloma, Janelle Bonasera, and my Statement of Purpose Advisor, Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91, I got into seven of my top 12 schools. Their dedication and hard work helped me through the graduate program application process, drafting and submitting my SOPs, which all made my Ph.D. journey possible. Because of this humanizing experience, I am earnestly devoted to working with and for students to build knowledge and define success in their own way. Supporting students in furthering their educational aspirations is a wonderful and rewarding experience for me.
Above is a photo of me defending my dissertation in 2021 to my advisor, dissertation team, friends, and some family members. It is precious to me because the beautiful person smiling at the bottom of this photo is my dear friend, advocate, and forever-cheerleader, Terry Edwards (also secretary of the CITE department) who passed away in 2023.
I continue to study, research and write about rematriation, Land-based knowledges, liberation, abolition, anticolonialism, #guerrilladiscourse, thriving ontologies and pedagogies, and Hip Hop and Tattoo epistemologies as I return to the IRT as the new Arts and Science Specialist. My background and my goals align with the IRT’s commitment to cultivate underserved and underrepresented future educators to lead in U.S. education.
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Institute for Recruitment of Teachers 