Support Literacy

Remember the "ten year challenge?" How unfair are all of those people who look exactly the same?? I'm a fan of a slightly different ten year challenge. One that doesn't involve our faces being read by creepy facial recognition robots. Compared to ten years ago, how different does your life look? Think of all the work you did! Does it show? In your accomplishments, in your savings, or in your salary? Maybe in the way you could support your family?

As a literacy tutor, I learned something remarkable. It was found that after ten years, low literate adults who participated in 100+hours of tutoring made an average of $10,000 more a year than those who didn't. It means we can't take any change for granted.Without the skills that give us agency, without adequate levels of literacy, ten years time might feel more like a hamster wheel.

This year, I achieved something for the first time in quite a while. I became a full time college student again. When I 'dropped out,' I promised myself that I would be back, maybe in a year. I didn't know it would be more like ten.I used to feel shame about how much time has passed, but something somewhere changed. I have more support now. I have the skills, the goals, and the friends I need to feel confident about being back in school.

Sometimes, the only changes I could make were small. I've been a tutor for the past five years, and I've had just as many addresses in that time. For me, tutoring became an opportunity to remain connected to a community. Washtenaw Literacy is where I got to know Ann Arbor and Ypsi for their amazing diversity.

In my story, some of my obstacles did connect to poverty, but illiteracy wasn't one. I can't imagine how discouraged I would have been if it was. The ability to read confidently, and to learn independently, is something I've been able to enjoy my whole life. It's a part of my identity. Unfortunately, for 1 in 6 Americans, this isn't the case. This is true in Washtenaw County too. For as many students there are attending U of M, there are just as many adults, locally, who lack the skills they need to function in society.

Inspired by my new college campus, I thought of some reasons why you might like to support adult literacy too.

For the education major: Okay, so I know teachers are on board ...but they're out there alone! Education should be our value too. In fact, 50% of children with illiterate parents will become illiterate.

For the med student:"An excess of $230 billion a year in health care costs is linked to low adult literacy." Signing up for insurance, reading prescriptions, filling medical forms... Isn't it hard enough? I think shame tells people who are low literate to keep it to themselves and to keep up the pace. But at what cost?

Poli-sci: One of my favorite roles as a tutor was supporting a non-partisan, voting workshop. It rendered me with a new sense of responsibility (I had to study!) I love that Washtenaw Literacy values non-partisan accessibility.

Math: Washtenaw Literacy is prepared to teach financial literacy, too! As a cashier, I remember when I could tell if a customer was WAITING to criticize my math mistake. There's no criticizing here. Washtenaw Literacy's mission is to empower people: at home, school, and at work. Wherever is most significant to them.

Criminal Justice: There's this: Seventy-five percent of state prison inmates did not complete high school or can be classified as low literate. And then there's this: Inmates who are educated are 43% less likely to return to prison.

Business: "Low literacy costs the U.S. at least $225 billion each year in non-productivity in the workforce, crime, and loss of tax revenue due to unemployment."

Philosophy: "If you give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. If you teach a man to fish,..."

Science: Washtenaw Literacy tutors use methods that are adaptable, and research based. With education, sustainability is key.

Isn't education everything?

To me, free tutoring is about more than arbitrarily building community, or doing something nice. It's about helping people, no less than it's about justice, empathy, and sustainability.

Whatever your story, I hope you can join me in supporting literacy. My goal is to raise $3-5 from every person reading this. I would be personally grateful for every bit. This effort only exists because of the donors who know it needs to.

In ten years time, someone's life can change, irreversibly, because of you.

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