Next step: general contractor at Lemme Fix-It, LLC
An artist and a builder, Limani Laster uses his energy to transform his surroundings. He is blessed with the ability to invent new beauty, and to make real the creations of his imagination.
While at ONU, the construction management major and Dimension Award scholar used his talents for transformation to restore the ONU Spirit Rock after vandals defaced the campus landmark’s message of unity that he’d helped create.
“Instead of getting upset at those involved, I was given the opportunity to repaint the rock in an even more positive light, which made me feel empowered,” he says. “I felt as though I was a part of the change for the better.”
Laster came to ONU precisely because of his desire for change. Growing up in Pontiac, Michigan, he experienced a community that didn’t provide many avenues for a young black man to have a successful future. His parents put him in a better school district where he was surrounded by a diverse group of peers, and they instilled in him the values that made him “desperate to become successful” and that eventually led him to ONU.
“I wanted to go somewhere I could gain independence and yet still be able to get home if something ever comes up. And as far as academics, ONU was a no brainer.”
At ONU, Laster was a member of the Black Student Union, Brother2Brother and the football team. His involvement on campus helped him balance the life away from Pontiac and remain focused on his goals. BSU provided him with a family atmosphere that ranged from fun and laughs to deep discussions about life.
“My most memorable moment as an ONU student would have to be the first ONUnity event we had on campus. It was very comforting seeing how many students and faculty truly cared about diversity on this campus.”