Fatou Drammeh is February’s Public Servant of the Month

  Mayor Brian Arrigo announced this week Fatou Drammeh as February’s Public Servant of the Month. As Manager of the Revere Community School and a nonprofit leader, Drammeh has worked for decades to connect residents with resources and advocate for our city’s most vulnerable. She is always going above and beyond for our residents – often working seven days a week in different capacities throughout the community. She has been instrumental in helping Revere residents throughout the COVID-19 pandemic – whether it was working at a food pantry event or donating computers to those in need. She wakes up every day with a drive to help her community. Every year the Revere Community School teaches more than 1,000 individuals English and other languages and skills. Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, her work has gone into overdrive. Fatou has been answering the calls of hundreds of community members who have found themselves without an income, unable to leave their homes or in fear that they might be without shelter or food for themselves and their families. Her hard work, attitude and commitment to the community makes her a clear choice for Public Servant of the Month.

Q: Can you tell us what you do in the City of Revere?

  A: I am the Manager of Revere Community School under the Park & Recreation Department. Revere Community School is the City of Revere’s adult education program offering language, skills and enrichment programs for youths and adult learners. Every year, we work with more than 1,000 individuals teaching the English and Spanish language, HiSET, citizenship, computer and job training programs. I am also a community organizer, a community leader and serve on many committees and boards in the Revere.

Q: What’s your favorite part about living and working in Revere? How long have you lived here?

  A: I came to Revere in 2004 as a staff member for a non-profit organization and I now call the city my home. For the past 17 years that I worked in this city, I get up every morning with hope in my heart and the energy to help people in any way I can. I love to connect with people, build new relationships and learn new things and cultures. I love this city and am passionate about my work and on issues I am involved in. I love that there are so many people/colleagues in this city working to get residents connected and bring them to the table to be part of the conversation. These past 2 years, I am amazed by how residents come together to volunteer and donate food, money and clothes whenever there is need. I am grateful for the opportunity and support for the work that I do in this city and I plan to continue working hard to helping those in need and contribute to making this Revere home for everyone.

Q: What’s the highlight of your career thus far and what excites you about your current work?

  A: For the past 30 years, I have served in many leadership positions in Revere and the Greater Boston Area working on many issues such as education, leadership, social and economic development, domestic violence and access to housing. I am the founder and former Director of Women Encouraging Empowerment Inc., a non-profit organization in Revere working with immigrants and refugee women and their families. Before founding WEE Inc., I worked for Cooperative Economics for Women (CEW), a Boston based non-profit organization for 9 years in various capacities from trainer to program organizer and Associate Director. I have also worked for more than 8 years at HarborCOV, a domestic violence non-profit organization, counselling hundreds of abused clients and connecting them with resources.

  In 2013, I started the Revere Community School with three ESOL classes and now we offer more than 80 courses to over 1,000 individuals each year. I have served on many boards and committees, such as the funding panel and Board of Directors of the Haymarket People’s Fund, a philanthropy foundation for more than 8 years, where I aided in funding different community projects throughout Massachusetts. I am currently a commissioner on the Revere Housing Authority and the board Vice President of WEE. I have my master’s degree from Brandeis University and a post graduate diploma from Coady International at the St. Francis Xavier University in Canada. I love my job and get a lot of joy from working with and helping others. I am proud of our program and the work that we do. We are changing lives and positively impacting our community.

Q: If you could give a piece of advice to the youth of Revere, what would you tell them?

  A: I value education and work a lot because I believe that no one can take your knowledge away from you. My advice to the young people of Revere is to focus on their education, interact with others and get involved in their community. There is so much joy and education in giving back to your community and making an impact. We should all strive to make this world a better place for everyone. Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”