By Holly Jenkins-Livers
Dr. Jenny C. Laster, PhD, who received her Doctoral Degree at the age of 76 and lived a life filled with community service, died January 11, 2025, in Cincinnati.
Earning her her Doctoral Degree was her dream, and it is no surprise to those who knew her that she brought that dream to fruition. What a feat.
It is only fitting that she chronicled her journey of learning to read when she was 4 years old in the segregated township of Meacham Park, Missouri, in the 1940s, to excelling at the highest levels in the academic and corporate arenas and being honored by President Obama.
Dr. Laster has amassed a wall of plagues, trophies, citations and awards. You would be hard pressed to find anyone in the Greater Cincinnati area who does not know the name Jenny Laster.
In her 2022 book, Jenny shared her personal story. She speaks of how her family collectively determined that “Skinny Jenny,” as she was nicknamed, would indeed have all the education and support she needed to accomplish her dreams. They all cleaned houses, scrubbing and mopping floors for a living. They did not want that for Jenny. Her grandmother told her, “I mopped floors, so you won’t have to.” Aptly, that is the title of Dr. Laster’s book.
Jenny’s mother, grandmother and great grandmother literally mopped floors, while Dr. Laster figuratively mopped floors for her daughter, grandson and countless others around the world. She considered it her duty to pave the way for those behind her. She asked, “Who mopped floors for you? And more importantly, who are you mopping floors for?” Her deepest belief was that we all have a responsibility to help guide those who follow us.
Some of Dr. Laster’s recognitions include being inducted into the Urban League of Cincinnati’s Glorifying the Lions Society as a senior leader in the Cincinnati community, the Dada Rafiki award, and the President Barack Obama Lifetime Achievement Award. She has been recognized with “Jenny Laster Days” by three different Cincinnati mayors. The Center for Closing the Health Gap presented Dr. Laster with a Citation of Excellence and renamed its Citizen Engagement Academy the Dr. Jenny Laster Citizen Engagement Academy in recognition of her extensive history of training and encouraging community leadership. In September 201, the Cincinnati Herald honored Dr. Laster as its Primetime Boomer.
Positions Dr. Laster held over the years:
- Founder and CEO of The Grass Roots Leadership Academy, which addressed the leadership development needs of more than 500 community leaders.
- Director of Leadership Development, Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio.
- Co-producer of Glorifying the Lions, an oral history celebrating the accomplishments of Cincinnati senior African Americans. The documentary was adapted by the Cincinnati PBS affiliate and is now part of the Urban League’s annual awards program.
- First Executive Director of Cincinnati Works, an organization designed to move low-income individuals to self-sufficiency through full-time employment.
- Vice-President of Human Resources, ATE Management & Service company.
- Adjunct faculty at Cincinnati State Technical College and the University of Cincinnati.
- Leadership Development Program Director, Center for Closing the Health Gap
- Co-founder of Execucircle, a professional development conference for African Americans held throughout the Caribbean, Africa and Brazil.
- Two-year appointment as the United States Lay Representative to the British Methodist Church.
In 2023, Cincinnati City Council recognized Dr. Laster for her many years of service. She is a member of New Vision United Methodist Church.
To purchase copy of Dr. Laster’s book, please go to Amazon.com, Dr. Jenny C. Laster “I Mopped Floors, So You Won’t Have To.”
Funeral Arrangements:
Funeral will be held Saturday, January 25, at New Visions United Methodist Church, 4400 Reading Road, Cincinnati, 45229.
- Visitation: 9-11 a.m.
- Services: 11 a.m.
- J.C. Battle Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
- Rev. Damon Lynch Jr., Eulogist.
Feature Image: Dr. Jenny C. Laster. Photo provided