About 

Madona Cole-Lacy is an educator, teaching artist, designer of wearable art, and a nonprofit founder who is on a mission to make a difference in the lives of youth and families on Long Island and neighboring boroughs whose educational and professional journey began with her elementary and high school education in Sierra Leone, West Africa. She embarked on her post secondary artistic journey at the London College of Printing in the United Kingdom, from where she relocated to the United States as an advanced standing transfer student to attend Marymount College in Tarrytown. After earning a B.A. in Art & Design with Social Anthropology as special interest, she earned her M.A.Ed. in education from Brooklyn College, followed by an entrepreneurship certificate from Hofstra University. 

Madona Cole-Lacy credits the academic and socio-cultural impact of this journey for her out-of-the-box approach to life. She has adopted a Dot-Connecting philosophy which leads her to create products and offer services that take ART out of the studio to places where they provide social and visual arts-based solutions to life’s challenges and cultural enrichment. These are done through products and workshops for youth and families. With over 30 years of experience as the designer of wearable art of Madona Cole Originals™, Mrs. Cole-Lacy creates one-of-a-kind garments and accessories for people whose aesthetic, special and medical needs are not easy to find. This includes her Dignity Headwear line for women and girls experiencing hair loss due to chemotherapy and other health conditions. Mrs. Cole-Lacy’s passion to make a difference, has led her to further seek to connect the dots of creativity by establishing My Time Has Come™. Through My Time Has Come enrichment programs, Madona Cole-Lacy combines art, fashion and the awareness of cultural diversity, and personal development, to emphasize the significance of art and culture as a mechanism to break down social and cultural barriers and maintain self-esteem. 

Her workshops are tailored to the needs of schools, colleges, libraries and community/faith-based organizations.

The third dot of Creativity which she founded with the full support of James Lacy, her husband, is a 501c3 nonprofit empowers youth and families to utilize creative self-help solutions to navigate the challenges and pitfalls of life in the 21st Century. This organization awards college and leadership scholarships to students in the long island area through the Creative Empowerment Art Contest. In addition to that, The James A. Lacy Memorial Creative Human Service Scholarship has been established to pay forward the legacy of the devoted organization’s Volunteer program director. This award will go to college-bound contestants in the twelfth grade.

Mrs. Cole-Lacy’s visual expressions have been exhibited at public library galleries throughout Long Island. Her most recent Coat of Many Cultures™, designed in collaboration with students of Bellport High School, is on permanent display at the school. Mrs. Cole-Lacy was a featured artist in Art League of Long Island’s “Black Voices” Art Exhibit. Her community service activities have been covered by the television media and featured in many publications over the years, including Essence Magazine, News 12 (the morning show) Channel 55 (WLIW), Verizon Fios1TV, the Beloit Chronicle, Bellmore Life and Long Island Newsday. She has served as the New York State representative for the Surface Design Association, an Advisory Board member of the Long Island Arts Alliance, and a Board Member the Childcare Council of Nassau Inc. ; a Nassau BOCES Barry Career& Technical Ed. Center Business Parter; among other community volunteer activities. She is currently a member of the United Federation of Teachers, Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society and several art organizations, including the Art League of Long Island, the Surface Design Association, American for the Arts, Long Island Arts Alliance, and The Guild Hall.