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17th Annual Authors for Literacy featuring Margot Lee Shetterly,
author of Hidden Figures
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We are thrilled to announce Margot Lee Shetterly as the keynote speaker for our 17th annual Authors for Literacy Fundraiser.
Writer, researcher, and entrepreneur Margot Lee Shetterly is the author of Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race, which was a top book of 2016 for both TIME and Publisher’s Weekly, a USA Today bestseller, and a #1 (instant) New York Times bestseller.
Margot explores the barriers Black women with careers in science had to break, and how, with the support of colleagues, they expanded the boundaries of possibility in the workplace and in science. We are thrilled and honored to welcome Margot to our Authors for Literacy Fundraiser on April 30, 2026 at the A-B Tech Conference Center. Tickets go live February 3, 2026.
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Win, Win! Tutoring Is Good for Your Health!
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Did your New Year's resolution involve establishing healthy habits? reconnecting with friends? or giving back to your community? Research shows that acts of kindness, like volunteering in your community, can help you ward off depression, anxiety, and loneliness. People who stay engaged in their communities through volunteering have lower blood pressure, fewer illnesses, and live longer. This good news is not a surprise to our tutors, who tell us they feel valued by and enjoy spending time with their students.
This February, we’re launching our Hearts for Literacy campaign with a goal to recruit 28 new volunteers—one for every day of the month—to support the 200+ students on our waiting list. Volunteering two hours a week is a great way to meet your personal wellness goals while giving back to our community of learners. It's as easy as 1 - 2 - 3!
- Get Started: Register for our next volunteer orientation to see how you can change a life in just two hours a week.
- Spread the Word: Invite us to speak! Whether it’s your book club, neighborhood association, or faith community, we’d love to share our mission with your circle.
- Be an Advocate: Tell a friend about us! A personal recommendation is our most powerful recruitment tool.
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Business Is Blooming for one of our
Student Entrepreneurs
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Oksana left her home and work as an event decorator in Ukraine seven years ago. She arrived in Asheville with her family (two children and husband) with little English but a big dream–to start her own business as an event designer in a town that celebrates art. To make her dream come true, she needed to improve her English skills. “I felt a little bit of shame talking with American people," she says. "It is not my native language, but with [my tutor] Ellen’s support, I can speak with my customers and help them create beautiful events. This is my passion and a new start for me and my family.”
Ellen helped Oksana understand the forms and process to start a small business. Now Oksana owns and operates Blossom Haven at the newly reopened Marquee in the River Arts District, where she sells her artwork and rents spectacular gigantic silk flower bouquets and human-sized feathered wings. Many business studies show that "immigrants are 80 percent more likely to start businesses than are native born people." Oksana’s success sparkles in the story of Asheville's growing arts community.
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| Happy Birthday, Dolly Parton!
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Since 2015, Literacy Together has partnered with the Buncombe County Partnership for Children — to create personal libraries for more than 5,000 children under the age of five in Buncombe County. Registered children receive a free book in the mail each month. Access to books in the home boosts children’s vocabulary, strengthens early literacy skills, and, most importantly, invites children from all backgrounds into the joy of reading!
Since Dolly Parton started this program in 1995, more than a million books have been gifted to children across the country. In honor of Dolly’s generosity and commitment to life-long learning, celebrate Dolly’s 80th Birthday Bash on Saturday, January 31 at the Grey Eagle. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in our community.
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Answering the Call: Supporting our Multilingual Youth
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Youth Literacy volunteers and interns tutor more than 150 elementary school students with low literacy skills in local afterschool programs. Starting this year, we will also offer tutoring support to youth learning English as a new language in Buncombe County Schools. We have more than 100 requests from local schools for tutors to work with students in the classroom and in small pull-out groups. This is a fabulous opportunity to tutor during school hours, close to home, and on a flexible schedule.
If you’re interested in helping a child crack the code of English and strengthen their literacy skills for everyday schoolwork, sign up for an upcoming orientation (next date: February 17!) or email Elyse Hurley, Youth Literacy Program Director.
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Literacy Opens Doors for Language Learners
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Alba and Jazmin come from different countries, different educational backgrounds, and different circumstances, but they’ve become friends while learning English together. The two women, from Venezuela and Colombia, first met in ESOL classes at A-B Tech, which meet daily and serve many Buncombe County newcomers. Then Alba told Jazmin about Sarah Bock, her one-on-one tutor at Literacy Together. “Tutoring is more specific for you. It meets exactly my needs and Sarah is a very good, excellent teacher,” says Alba.
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Make DOUBLE the Impact as a Corporate Sponsor
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Our 2026 Presenting Sponsor, Pisgah Investments Foundation, has issued a $30,000 matching gift challenge to inspire local businesses and leaders to rise to the occasion and make a difference. Click here to learn more. Corporate sponsorships and donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar. This means businesses can have double the impact in 2026! Contact Linda Murphey, Grants & Development Manager, if you are interested in learning more about this opportunity.
Thank you to Pisgah Investments Foundation and welcome aboard to some of our recent 2026 Corporate Sponsors:
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Upcoming Online Orientation Meetings
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| February 17 at 6 p.m. via Zoom
February 20 at 10 a.m. via Zoom
March 17 at 6 p.m. via Zoom
March 20 at 10 a.m. via Zoom
“When I first decided to become an ESOL tutor, I wanted to help meet a need in our community and enrich my own life by meeting students from other cultures. I have been tutoring for three years now, and I have seen a big difference in the lives of my students when they learn even basic English skills. They can be safe by reading signs, tell a doctor where they hurt, negotiate purchases, understand a note from their child's teacher, make new friends and gain confidence with each step of their learning journey. I get to witness tremendous courage and determination as students show up week after week, sometimes tired from many hours of work, to invest their precious time in learning English. They model for their children the value of education and I am honored to play a part in that. They challenge me to be patient, creative, open-minded and open-hearted. My time spent tutoring makes me a more compassionate person and skilled communicator which improves the quality of all my relationships. I am very grateful to be a part of the Literacy Together family.”
-Jessie Wilder, ESOL Tutor
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