Black Entrepreneur LaDonna N. Smith Turns School Bus Into Mobile Bookstore to Inspire the Next Generation of Readers
#NOLAZINE - Amsterdam, New York – Black entrepreneur, educator, and children’s book author LaDonna N. Smith is changing the way children experience reading by transforming a traditional school bus into a mobile bookstore known as The Lit Bus.
As the founder of We Lit Academy (@welitacademy), a Black-owned, family-operated literacy organization, Smith is on a mission to “Make Reading Lit Again.” Through her innovative mobile bookstore, she brings diverse children’s books directly to schools, neighborhoods, festivals, and community events, making reading more accessible, exciting, and relatable for young readers.
But The Lit Bus is more than just a bookstore on wheels. Smith has created an educational experience that combines literacy with music, games, sports, and creative activities. Through programs such as Battle of the Books and Books & Basketball, children develop reading comprehension, teamwork, and creativity while having fun.
In addition to her mobile bookstore, Smith operates a physical children’s bookstore in Amsterdam, New York, where she highlights diverse literature and independent authors. One of her biggest priorities is ensuring that Black children have access to books featuring characters and stories that reflect their own identities and experiences.
A mother of four published young authors, Smith also holds a master’s degree in education with a concentration in curriculum design and instruction. Her dedication to literacy extends beyond business, making education and entrepreneurship a family mission.
Through We Lit Academy and The Lit Bus, LaDonna N. Smith is proving that reading can be more than an educational requirement—it can be an exciting experience that inspires the next generation of readers, writers, entrepreneurs, and leaders.
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