ABC READ, INC

What if the thing everyone else called “trash” was actually the beginning of something beautiful? 🎨✨

Tonight, I’m reading Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art—a powerful story about a young Tyree Guyton and his gift for seeing possibilities where others saw nothing but discarded things.

Tyree found a way to turn trash into art. But his creativity wasn’t just about making something beautiful. He wanted to make his neighborhood better.

With the encouragement and support of his grandfather, who reminded him to keep creating, Tyree continued to use his artistic gifts to transform his community. His art became a way to bring people together, spark imagination, and show what is possible when we invest in the gifts of our young people.

And that’s what I love about this story.

Our children don’t always see the world the way we do. Sometimes, they see possibilities where adults see problems. Sometimes, the very thing that makes them different is the gift that can change their community.

What happens when we stop trying to make children fit into the box and instead give them the space, encouragement, and resources to create?

We get artists.
We get leaders.
We get problem-solvers.
We get community builders.

Join me tonight at 7:30 PM EST for this special Read Aloud!

📚 Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art

Watch/listen live on LinkedIn, YouTube, and the ABC READ page.

Click the link below to listen and join us!

Let’s continue creating spaces where our children can discover their gifts, use their voices, and imagine a better world.

Reading Is Freedom.

https://www.youtube.com/live/J_Dp_eZntJY?is=ZdA3BIrXPhjMOoXi

Have you ever been called to step into something bigger than yourself, but fear made you want to stay in the background?

Join me tonight at 7:30 PM on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn as we read The Boldest White: A Story about Hijab and Community by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K.Ali.

In this beautiful story, Faizah learns that standing out isn’t something to fear—it’s something to embrace. Inspired by her sister’s confidence and her own journey, she discovers that being bold means refusing to shrink yourself, even when you feel different. As a fencer, she’s given the opportunity to compete in a tournament, but fear makes her question whether she’s ready.

How many times have we been offered a leadership role, a new opportunity, or a chance to use our voice, only to let fear convince us to step aside?

The truth is, when we accept the calling to lead, speak up, or simply show up as our authentic selves, we often inspire someone else to do the same. Your courage gives others permission to be courageous too.

Bring the whole family and join us tonight at 7:30 PM as we read, reflect, and celebrate the power of bravery, confidence, and community.

And don’t leave right after the story—stick around for a fun Kahoot game to test your knowledge, spark conversation, and keep the learning going in an interactive way!

📚 See you live on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn!

https://www.youtube.com/live/6MhaWa3zLDc?is=_BbxMn5nwM4FU5Z7

They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds. 📚✊🏾

Join us this Sunday at 7:30 PM EST for a powerful ABC READ Read Aloud as we share The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, beautifully illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

This award-winning book honors the courage, brilliance, and perseverance of Black people throughout history. It reminds us that despite centuries of systemic racism, oppression, and injustice, our ancestors and communities continued to rise—becoming influential orators, activists, athletes, educators, artists, innovators, and leaders who changed the world.

The Undefeated is a testament to the grit, tenacity, resilience, and excellence that have always lived within us. It is a celebration of those who came before us and an inspiration for the next generation to keep learning, reading, leading, and dreaming.

📖 Read Aloud: Sunday at 7:30 PM EST
🎮 Stay after the story for a fun Kahoot game!
📱 Streaming on all ABC READ social media platforms

Bring the whole family, invite a friend, and experience a story that reminds us why our history, our voices, and our resilience matter.

❤️ Like. 💬 Comment. 🔁 Share. And don’t forget to follow ABC READ as we continue cultivating a culture of literacy in Black and Brown and underserved communities.
Click the link to listen
https://www.youtube.com/live/ckKVcsPRB3M?is=cLFPPTVsUGeP3UHL

🌟 Join us TODAY for a special Read Aloud featuring the inspiring book Emmanuel’s Dream:The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson and Sean Qualls.

Born in Ghana with a weakened leg, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah faced challenges that many thought would hold him back. But his mother taught him an important lesson: never give up, be independent, and never beg for what you can work to achieve. Through determination, courage, and perseverance, Emmanuel went on to accomplish the extraordinary—riding his bicycle across Ghana in just 10 days and becoming an inspiration to people around the world.

This powerful true story reminds us that our circumstances do not define our future. Our determination, resilience, and belief in ourselves can take us farther than we ever imagined.

📚 Click the link to join the read aloud.
🙌🏼Like the video.
💬 Share with family and friends.
🔔 Subscribe to the channel so you never miss a literacy event.

Click to join at 7:30pm est
https://www.youtube.com/live/Z5IAMjRbkBU?is=2b7WtI0vrG3CSEO7

And don’t leave when the story ends! Stay for our fun and interactive Kahoot game where you’ll have a chance to test your knowledge and celebrate what you’ve learned.

See you there as we read, learn, and grow and get free!

Our ABC READ Bye Bye Summer Slide Reading Camp continues to bring literacy to life!

This week, our youth participants explored newspaper ads and became smart shoppers by selecting items from categories such as fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, desserts, and cleaning products. This hands-on activity helped strengthen reading, vocabulary, critical thinking, and real-world decision-making skills.

The children also created their own passports and listened to the inspiring story Sulwe, opening conversations about self-confidence, identity, and the exciting possibilities that come with exploring the world. Through these activities, they learned that literacy is connected to everyday life and that being “passport ready” can open doors to new opportunities and experiences.

To top it all off, every child selected a culturally relevant book to add to their home library, helping keep the joy of reading alive long after camp ends.

What an amazing experience filled with learning, creativity, and fun!

Join us for our final Bye Bye Summer Slide Reading Camp next week as we continue helping children stay engaged and excited about reading.

If you’d like to support our work, please consider making a donation:
📚 Zelle: [email protected]
📚 Cash App: $abcread1
📚 Visit our website to give and learn more.

https://abcread.org/

Together, we can help more children build strong literacy skills and a lifelong love of reading. Reading Is Freedom!

Click the link to subscribe to my YouTube channel

https://youtu.be/HbIfyGWAtpU?is=8jXLQEksaY867gDn

If you’re interested in wearing merch with a purpose click the link below 👇🏼

https://readingisfreedommovement.com/

HUGE shoutout to Akin for letting the community know about these amazing culturally relevant books that were available for anyone who wanted them. ABC READ is super grateful to have collected some gems!

Another MAJOR shoutout to my dear sista friend Shahidah Rasheed for alerting me right away about brotha Akin giving these books away! If it wasn’t for her, I would’ve missed out on this beautiful opportunity to get these books that we’re going to make sure our people get in their hands.

Great Relationships are the foundation of building a strong community!

Imagine living in a world where reading was considered dangerous for you.

Join us as we read Carter Reads the Newspaper, a powerful story that reminds us why literacy matters. Carter’s curiosity and determination to read the newspaper to his elders who didn’t know how to read show how reading opens doors to knowledge, empowerment and community building.

Throughout history, our people risked everything to learn how to read. During slavery, laws and practices were put in place to prevent Black people from becoming literate because literacy was seen as a pathway to freedom, empowerment, and self-determination. Despite these barriers, many learned in secret, taught one another, and passed down knowledge whenever they could.

Today, we face a different literacy challenge. Far too many children and adults struggle with reading proficiency, limiting their access to education, employment, and civic engagement. Stories like Carter Reads the Newspaper remind us that reading is more than just about preparing for tests, it is a tool for understanding the world and shaping our future.
Click the link to join the live read aloud followed by a Kahoot game.

https://www.youtube.com/live/jwWaK0mFDX0?is=YH1DSD62-tjujg29