Color of Education Session Spotlights Literacy as a Civil Right
By Mary Mathew and Cheri Coleman
We at Book Harvest believe that literacy is one of the greatest civil rights issues of our time, and that solving any challenge our society faces begins with a foundation of literacy. But we can’t do it alone; collective action is needed to achieve our goal of literacy and justice for all.
On September 28th, we partnered with Safiyah Jackson, Chief Strategy Officer at the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC), to share this message and issue a call to action at the 2024 Color of Education Summit in Raleigh, North Carolina. The theme for this year’s Summit – Collective Action: People & The Arc of Justice – was especially fitting.
In our breakout session called “We Can’t Wait: Taking Collective Action to Address Literacy – One of the Greatest Civil Rights Issues of Our Time – Starting at Birth,” we led attendees in considering:
Why literacy is an urgent civil rights issue;
Why starting literacy development in the earliest years of life matters;
Why and how past and present policies and practices impact literacy equity; and
How to take collective action to promote early literacy and a stronger democracy.
Starting with an activity to reflect on why literacy is essential to successfully engaging in
almost every aspect of life, from going to a doctor’s appointment, to attending a parent-teacher meeting, and voting in the upcoming election, session participants were quickly engaged in considering the implications of barriers to literacy. We then considered stories from educators, families, and advocates and discussed particular barriers to literacy throughout U.S. history. With 21% of U.S. adults currently navigating life with low literacy skills, and more than two thirds of U.S. fourth graders not reading proficiently, the reality of literacy as an urgent civil rights issue didn’t take much convincing.
From there, we highlighted some key initiatives working to address this issue. Policies supporting reading instruction based on science and other promising strategies in the early grades are expanding nationally; but are we starting too late?
Research shows starting literacy development early—during the first years of life—creates a solid foundation for long-term success. With so much growth and brain development happening before children even enter a kindergarten classroom, it is imperative to support early language and literacy experiences. Book Harvest’s Book Babies program demonstrates that when children are exposed to rich language experiences from infancy, they develop critical brain connections that prepare them for reading and learning in school. Parents and caregivers play an essential role as their children’s first teachers, creating home environments that foster a love for language and books.
Early childhood and elementary school educators also play an important role in building a strong foundation for children’s literacy. Several teachers attended the session and engaged in a vibrant discussion, led by Safiyah Jackson, which centered the words of Frederick Douglass “It’s easier to build strong children than repair broken men” and “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” Participants shared powerful stories from their classroom experiences, spoke up about the need to start prenatally, and talked about opportunities for collective advocacy for literacy across birth-to-five and K-12 education systems. The thoughtful and passionate conversation continued past the session time into the lunch hour.
As presenters, our goal was to spark conversation and collective action to uphold the civil right of literacy for all and its critical role in our democracy. Given the energy and passion in the room, we are hopeful this was accomplished.
As we reflect on the urgency of this issue, it’s important to remember that we each have a
role to play. Whether you are an educator, parent, policymaker, or community member, you can take steps to promote early literacy:
Donate diverse books to community spaces and schools.
Advocate for policies that support early childhood literacy programs.
Volunteer your time to help promote reading in your community.
Raise awareness about literacy as a civil right.
Make a plan and vote in the upcoming election.
Together, we can create a world where every child’s literacy flourishes from birth.