Literacy as the Foundation for Equity

As we continue to consider Black History Month in February and celebrate this Women’s History Month, I want to share some images and reflections on the intersections of race and gender in the U.S. In my DEI work, I have prioritized an intersectional approach and analysis. I learned early in my career that when we … Read more

Driving Impact With Data

The thing I love the most about working at The Literacy Lab is knowing that our program works. As the Director of Data and Evaluation, I have the privilege of seeing this evidence first hand. We have made a commitment to having a measurable impact. The Literacy Lab takes a strategic, data-informed approach to helping … Read more

Gallery: 2019 Impact Awards

From Literacy Lab cupcakes to wise words and well-wishes, this summer we closed out the 2018-19 school year at Impact Awards celebrations across the country. Our teams in DC, KC, Baltimore, Central VA, Western MA, and Milwaukee showed our gratitude for our AmeriCorps members and Leading Men Fellows and awarded several individuals for outstanding performance throughout the school year. … Read more

Building Your Career with a Service Year

What is a service year, and why should you consider applying for one? Carlie Muessig, a Recruitment Coordinator at The Literacy Lab, has spent the last few years answering these exact questions. Following a year of service as a Literacy Lab tutor, Carlie joined our team to help share our mission and identify advocates for … Read more

Gallery: 2019 DC Impact Awards

Congratulations to our tutors and Leading Men Fellows in DC for a successful year of building strong readers across the city! We had the chance to recognize their dedication to serving students and living our core values throughout the service year at the 2019 DC Impact Awards. Take a look through our full gallery of photos from … Read more

Alexis Underwood Launches People Who Are Incarcerated Awareness Day

  On a Thursday morning in April, students at LaSalle-Backus Education Campus in Washington, D.C. were crafting birthday cards. On colorful construction paper, these students wrote messages expressing love, compassion, and respect. Throughout the day, they composed more than 200 cards for members of their community who often don’t receive unexpected greetings: people who are … Read more

Lindell Jefferson is Giving Back in Petersburg

PETERSBURG, VA – When Lindell Jefferson walks into a room, he exudes humility and graciousness. His quick, quiet wit demands you pay attention, or risk missing something important when he speaks. Lindell joined the 18-19 Literacy Lab tutor cohort with an internalized drive to give back which stemmed from a desire to repay the support … Read more

Repost: In Their Words with Thomas Oakley

  Last year, Thomas Oakley joined The Literacy Lab team as a Program Manager and moved back to his hometown of Springfield, MA. A true believer in the power of public education, Thomas lives out our core values every day by supporting our first cohort of literacy tutors in western Massachusetts. Recently, the Community Foundation … Read more

Launching the Leading Men Fellowship in Milwaukee and Kansas City

Since August, our teams in Milwaukee and Kansas City have been hard at work launching their inaugural cohorts of Leading Men Fellows. In just a few months, Fellows have become integral members of their classroom teams by building strong and trusting relationships with students and providing important literacy instruction and support.   In December, our … Read more

The Literacy Lab Selected as Citi Foundation Youth Workforce Fund Grantee

The Citi Foundation recently announced that The Literacy Lab has been awarded a $250,000 grant from their 2018 Youth Workforce Fund, a national initiative that is supporting community organizations in key cities across the United States to help them expand their programming and connect low-income youth to a range of employment opportunities. The Literacy Lab … Read more