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Each Literacy Together staff member chose something different to share in honor of Black History Month. These are pieces of Black history and culture we have taken into our lives -- meditated on, laughed with, danced to, felt deeply, learned from -- and continue to celebrate all year round. We are grateful to share these things with you because they mean a lot to us!
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Lucille Clifton poem (Rebecca)
lucy and her girls
lucy is the ocean extended by
her girls
are the river
fed by
lucy
is the sun
reflected through her girls
are the moon
lighted by
lucy
is the history of her girls
are the place where lucy
was going
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Adnis (Jay-Z), Umi Says (Mos Def), and We Almost Lost Detroit by Gil Scott Heron.
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I love Maya Angelou! Here she's with Oprah (LuAnn).
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Maya Angelou on finding courage.
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These two Black women activists (as well as authors/poets/philosophers) have always inspired me (Meghan).
Angela Davis:
"You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time."
Maya Angelou:
“The caged bird sings with a fearful trill,
of things unknown, but longed for still,
and his tune is heard on the distant hill,
for the caged bird sings of freedom.” (from poem)
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Here are Four Rules For Achieving Peace and Justice by Bryan Stevenson (Cindy).
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Below is a link to a reading of I Am Enough by the author, Grace Byers, and illustrator, Keturah Bobo. I Am Enough is a beautiful picture book about loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another (Julie).
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Here are a few books that my children and I have really loved! They're all beautifully illustrated and inspiring books that expose young ones (and adults!) to historical and present-day black icons and heroes (Tiffany).
Young, Gifted, and Black (words by: Jamia Wilson / illustrated by: Andrea Pippins).
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History (by: Vashti Harrison), also, Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History.
Change Sings: A Children's Anthem (words by: Amanda Gorman / pictures by: Loren Long).
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Triangle Park in The Block (by the YMI Cultural Center) is one of my favorite spots Downtown. The memorial mural honors the history of African-Americans in Asheville (Laura).
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Finally, did you know that from 1897 to 1974 the Asheville Office Park site (where our office is located) was the home of the Allen School, a boarding school for African-American girls? Two of the most well-known graduates include Nina Simone, class valedictorian in 1950, and Dr. Christine Darden, class valedictorian in 1958, who went on to a distinguished career at NASA and whose life was represented in the book Hidden Figures.
I love Nina's interpretation of this song. It's so full of love and vitality, and a reminder that we are all unique and have a special superpower to share with the world. I dare you not to dance!
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Tickets are on sale now for the 14th Annual Authors for Literacy Dinner & Auction featuring Silas House!
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The next Authors for Literacy Dinner & Auction will occur on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at 6:00 pm at the Crowne Plaza Resort Expo Center.
Silas House is the bestselling author of Southernmost and a producer of the documentary film Hillbilly. His new novel, Lark Ascending, has already made the Top Ten Indie Bookseller Recommendations. Also, Lark Ascending has won the coveted Southern Independent Prize from the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) for 2023. Learn more about the Author's Event here.
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Dolly is on a county-wide tour again! She'll be touring all the local libraries to bring awareness to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. In this photo, she's at the Oakley/South Asheville Library. Thanks to our friends at Buncombe County Public Libraries!
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Dolly Parton's Imagination Library puts books into the hands and hearts of children worldwide. We're mailing a free book monthly to over 5,000 registered children in Buncombe County.
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Our community is getting stronger every day!
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25 people attended our online volunteer orientation meeting in February. We've modified the format of our online orientation meeting to be more inclusive. So, everyone is welcome to join us, from community members, local business owners, and nonprofits willing to learn more about Literacy Together's work to prospective volunteer tutors. This is what one participant said about what they learned during the orientation meeting:
I was absolutely baffled to learn about the heightened racial disparity concerning literacy in Buncombe County.
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Thanks to Evergreen Community Charter School for inviting Laura Bernhein, our Outreach and Communications Director, to share about the work of Literacy Together. She loved talking with the kids!
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We enjoyed participating in the Junior League of Asheville's Volunteer Expo. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with prospective volunteers and partners. Thank you for having us!
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We had a wonderful time with the folks of UneteNC! They are awesome, and there are so many ways we can collaborate. Stay tuned for some news! Photo: Norma and José (Unete), Cindy and Laura (Literacy Together), and some members of the Unete community. Thanks for the atole and the pan dulce!
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| Upcoming Online Orientation Meetings
Tuesday, March 7th, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Thursday, March 9th, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
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| Your generosity provides literacy services to our neighbors of every age.
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