Literacy Initiatives
Read to Rise: Centering Black Brilliance Through Books
Since 2020, our Read to Rise initiative has been rooted in a simple but transformative belief: when children see themselves in the stories they read, they rise in confidence, identity, and achievement.
Through the collective strength of our board, donors, and community fundraising efforts, we have placed over 60,000 culturally relevant, high-quality books directly into the hands of children and families at no cost. These books have seeded home and classroom libraries that affirm culture, celebrate brilliance, and nurture the early literacy skills children need to thrive.
Research from New York University’s Steinhardt School shows that early access to books has immediate and long-term impacts on vocabulary, comprehension, and background knowledge. And while libraries remain vital, the presence of books in the home is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s reading success.
Read to Rise is more than a book distribution program. It is a movement for equity. By curating books that reflect children's experiences and show them a mirror, we foster pride, belonging, and a lifelong love of reading.
Through free book fairs, family engagement events, and direct classroom partnerships, Read to Rise is dismantling barriers to literacy, ensuring every child has access to the stories that will lift them higher.
Raising A Reader
Classic Red Book Bag Program is designed to help families develop, practice and maintain strong literacy habits.
Children receive a Red Book Bag each week filled with award-winning, multicultural books to take home and share with the caring adults in their life.
Active Reading
Active Reading is a way to read WITH kids, rather than TO them. That means talking with kids about the stories and topics in books. Active Reading is an important part of all kids’ reading journey, from birth through 3rd grade, whether you’re reading board books, picture books or chapter books.