OUR STORY
At "Let the Children Play," we are a collective of dreamers, educators, and change makers. Founded by Kamau Preston, a Jamaican-born DJ now based in the US, our initiative is rooted deeply in the vibrant culture and resilient spirit of Jamaica. We believe in the transformative power of music and education and are dedicated to empowering the youth of underserved communities in the northern parishes of Hanover, Montego Bay, Westmorland, and beyond.
We are storytellers, using the universal language of music to share narratives of hope, resilience, and empowerment. Our mission transcends beyond teaching music; it's about unlocking potential, nurturing talent, and creating pathways for success and self-expression. The unique aspect of our program is its mobility – a retrofitted container equipped with all the necessary facilities, allowing us to bring this enriching experience directly to the youth across various parishes.
Together, we are committed to sparking a wave of positive change, helping to lower poverty, unemployment, and crime rates, and ultimately contributing to the strengthening of family units and nation-building.
It is incredible how one small idea can grow into something truly special. ltcpja.org is rooted in the belief that we all have an inherent responsibility to make a meaningful difference in our community. With a variety of active projects, we harness our skills and resources to successfully achieve our goals.
We are a never-been-done-before project and we're very proud to be taking this on.
Want to take part?
Contribute to our work by donating or volunteering today.
WHAT WE DO
Meaningful Work
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Empowering Others
ltcpja.com is dedicated to putting our under served community first. Our Community Outreach program provides a much-needed service for those in dire need. Lend a helping hand and join our efforts today.
EDUCATION
Helping Those Who Need Us Most
ltcpja.org is the first of it's kind in the Caribbean and is looking to empower kids and young adults for a bright career path.
MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kamau Preston
President
Kamau Preston achieved global success as a DJ from Jamaica. 20 years ago he moved from Jamaica to New York City. He was struck by the similarities between the two places, particularly the significant number of unemployed black males, with less of a support structure in Jamaica. Kamau looked for ways to help, which led to the founding of this breakthrough project -- a DJ training school on the island of Jamaica. By providing youths with access to this unique training, they learn to harness their talents, express themselves creatively, achieve their true potential, and create a brighter future for themselves. Kamau continues his work in providing training and mentorship to help these young Jamaicans overcome the obstacles of their situation and thrive in their artistic pursuits.
Tabitha Raggio
Secretary
Tabitha Raggio has long been committed to children and youth flourishing. After studying sociology at Louisiana State University, she began working for children’s welfare at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Tyler, Texas. There she served on the Board of Directors where she worked to interrupt the cycle of child abuse and promote community awareness for children’s issues. She also worked as the Director of Children’s Ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Tyler, Texas where she promoted children’s growth and education. Tabitha remains committed to impacting youth around the world.
Anat Dodds
Board of Directors
Anat Dodds is the president of the Jamaica Capital Building Fund. This non-profit organization builds schools in the most rural areas of Jamaica. When Anat met Kamau, they discovered their mutual love of Jamaica and its children. It became clear that she was a natural fit to join The Play Campaign. Empowering our youths is at the forefront of her endeavors, and she is committed to having the children of Jamaica thrive. Anat beleives that together "we can all give something small to make a huge difference."
Mike Greenberg
Board of Directors
Mike Greenberg joined the board of the Play Campaign in the spring of 2021. A student of both music and psychology, Mike has devoted his education (BA in Psychology, MEd in Educational Psychology) and a portion of his professional life to understanding how to develop learning environments that are as inspirational as they are educational. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to support and shape such a groundbreaking idea in the Play Campaign. Mike currently works as the Growth and Sunsetting Strategy Manager for the Susan T. Buffett Foundation. In this role, he works with the Operations team to ensure the support of the Foundation's future trajectory.
Don Patterson
Board of Directors
As the former CEO of Ascend Wireless Networks, Don Patterson established himself as an enterprise innovator and business developer. Don is an active member of his local community, leading a number of important initiatives including addressing the homelessness crisis. Helping underserved and underprivileged youths is a particular personal passion for him. Don can be seen about Sarasota with a network of like-minded business leaders or the young people he hopes will become the next generation of accomplished and actively-involved leaders.
Al Rivera
Board of Directors
Bio coming soon...
Katrin Schafelner Casserly
Board of Directors
Katrin worked at the world-famous Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Jamaica from 1991 until 2010 when she created the Schatzie Boutique. Schatzie was created to provide a showplace for Jamaican designers and craft products. More recently, Katrin has returned to Round Hill as the property and villa manager for privately-owned villas. Despite her hectic schedule, Katrin has always make time for her deep interest in meaningful social causes, including the creation of sustainable community education programs, the donation of over 600 tablets with keyboards and COVID19 relief.