Leaders are Readers

Students that haven’t learned to read by the 4th grade are four times more likely to drop out of school.

Literacy levels across the U.S. have dropped significantly over the years. One in 4 children have never learned to read. This is why PPGJLI is committed to creating new pipelines to success by improving literacy rates and inspiring the next generation of leaders through the Leaders are Readers program.

This program offers youth positive messaging and relatable characters both of which have been shown to increase literacy and address the systemic inequities associated with illiteracy such as low earning potential, future incarceration, and poor health.

Read Alouds are another way to encourage young readers and we offer a collection of them in our Justice and Friends Reading Circle. By showcasing a variety of diverse authors and characters, we increase the number of mirrors and windows for children and families.

Mirrors to offer a positive representation and showcase the rich cultural history of BIPOC communities.

Windows to foster collective learning and engagement for intercultural dialogue and cultural exchanges.

Children of color have been traditionally underrepresented in literature. It is important for children to see themselves in books because it affirms that they have a place in academia, art, literature, and the world at large. Diversity in books allows readers to see themselves represented and to imagine new possibilities for themselves.

Through leadership development, PPGJLI empowers new leaders to address their own challenges and realize their power to resist oppression. The ultimate result is creating social change which equates to reaping a harvest of justice, fairness, and equity. We believe one of the best ways to promote leadership is by promoting literacy and diversity in children’s books

By having diverse authors read their books and share their multicultural stories, we aim to encourage reading and inspire future BIPOC literary artists to share their own stories. Our read-aloud events promote cultural preservation and reflect their rich cultural heritage.

We are disrupting the cradle to the prison pipeline by promoting literacy and diversity in books.

61% of low-income families have no books in their homes for their children. Together we can change that. Your support can help us get more diverse books in the hands of more children and encourage their joy of reading.