We Lit Academy was born from a family that lives, creates, teaches, and plays with literacy at the center of everything they do. The Smith family believes that reading is not just a skill — it’s power, confidence, culture, and opportunity.
Through books, music, sports, creativity, and hands-on experiences, the Smiths are on a mission to make literacy engaging, joyful, and accessible for every child. We Lit is truly a family affair — where learning is interactive, culturally rooted, and built around real passions that inspire kids to show up, try, and believe in themselves.
LaDonna N. Smith —
Founder & Literacy Visionary
Educator • Author • Publisher • Reading Advocate
LaDonna N. Smith is the founder of We Lit Academy, a dynamic literacy ecosystem designed to transform how children experience reading and learning. With a background as a preschool teacher, curriculum developer, and children’s author, LaDonna blends education, creativity, and community to make literacy feel exciting rather than intimidating.
Through We Lit Academy, she has built innovative programs including Lit Camps, Rolling Reads (The Lit Bus), Battle of the Books, author partnerships, and experiential literacy workshops that connect reading to real life. Her vision is simple yet powerful: When children feel seen, inspired, and supported, they become confident readers and thinkers.
ELIJAH SMITH — Literacy Mentor & Youth Leader
Author • Athlete • Reading Advocate
Elijah Smith is a young leader with a passion for both books and basketball. As a co-author and literacy mentor, he believes that confidence in reading builds confidence in life. Elijah is committed to helping younger students see themselves as capable readers, thinkers, and creators.
Through the Books and Basketball workshop, Elijah works directly with young athletes building confidence in their reading abilities, using sports-based strategies to make literacy engaging, motivating, and relevant. He teaches students that discipline in the classroom fuels success on the court — and that great players are also great readers.
Elijah’s calm leadership, patience, and encouragement make him a natural mentor, proving that literacy grows best when learning feels supported, respected, and empowering.
Isaiah Smith — DJ Zay Vibzz • Scratch Academy Leader
DJ • Author • Athlete • Reading Advocate
Isaiah, known as DJ Zay Vibzz, is the creative force behind We Lit’s Scratch Academy Lit Camp, where music meets literacy in a high-energy, hands-on learning experience. Using his custom curriculum, students learn rhythm, language, sequencing, and storytelling through DJing and music production.
Isaiah’s program engages students who may not see themselves as “traditional readers,” showing them that literacy exists in beats, lyrics, instructions, and creative expression. His camp turns sound into learning and passion into progress.
Azariah Smith — Young Author & Literacy Mentor
Author • Reading Advocate
Azariah is a rising young author and leader who uses storytelling and sports to inspire young readers in meaningful and empowering ways. She is the co-author of three children’s books, including Brown Girl, Big Dreams, which uplifts young readers to pursue their goals with courage, confidence, and determination.
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Through her platform, Azariah shows young athletes that success begins with mindset. By connecting literacy with lessons from sports, she reinforces that discipline in the classroom builds champions in life — and that strong readers become strong leaders.
URIAH SMITH — Emerging Author
Co-Author • Athlete • Book Club Captain
Uriah Smith did not always love reading — and that honesty is exactly what makes his story so impactful. As the co-author of The Boy Who Hated Books, written alongside his mother, Uriah turned his frustration with reading into creativity, courage, and purpose. The process of writing his book helped him see stories in a new way and sparked a growing appreciation for books and learning.
Through his journey as a young author, Uriah has discovered that reading is not just about words on a page — it’s about confidence, imagination, and finding your voice. While he is still growing and finding his footing as a reader, he shows that progress, not perfection, is what truly matters.
As part of the Books Up, Balls Down workshop, Uriah connects with younger students who feel the same way he once did. He reminds them that struggling with reading does not mean you are not smart — it simply means you are still becoming. With patience, empathy, and determination, Uriah is helping to shape a new generation of confident, resilient readers.​
