Literacy Partners

Last Thursday, something truly special happened at Symphony Space in New York City. ✨

Some of our students took the stage and shared original pieces they wrote themselves — stories of fear, of secrets kept too long, of family and food and home, of loss, of love, of what it means to live in America right now.

Their extraordinary lives, and the courage they showed — writing their stories down and reading them aloud to a full audience — made us so proud!

We hope these photos give you a glimpse of what this community is capable of.

We are so in awe of every single one of our students. Thank you for trusting us with your words — and for sharing them with your community! ❤️

Last year, New York State Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia (86th Assembly District) generously donated $10,000 to support our literacy programming in the Bronx. Last week, she stopped by to see it in action firsthand, and present us with the check. 🎉

Assemblymember Tapia visited our beginner English for Parents class, held at Renaissance Youth Center in partnership with our team. Literacy Partners Teacher Maria welcomed her into the classroom, where something remarkable happened: Assemblymember Tapia shared her personal story of immigrating to the United States from the Dominican Republic and learning English as a young mother.

Students who walk through that door — juggling family, work, and the challenge of building a new life — heard their own story reflected back to them by an elected official who has lived it.

That's the power of representation. That's the power of investing in people. ❤️

Thank you, Assemblymember Tapia, for your support and for showing up, not just with a check, but with your story!

This Mother's Day, we applaud and celebrate the mothers and caregivers showing up for their children's learning and growth.

In our classes, mothers come together to learn, share, and inspire one another. They discover new ways to connect with their kids, turn everyday moments into learning adventures, and remind us all that the most powerful tool a child has is their parent.

Here's what some of our incredible student-mothers had to say. ❤️

"The Literacy Partners workshop taught me that science is present in our daily lives—in things as simple as cooking, playing, observing nature, or asking questions. I learned that as a mom, I can foster an interest in STEM in my children without needing to be an expert—simply by guiding them and encouraging them to explore."
- Natalia

"I enjoyed learning about all the different ways I can build a connection with my daughter. Before, I would only read to my daughter when it was convenient. Now, I’m more diligent in reading with her!"
- Sharisse

"I learned about the importance of connecting with our children: setting aside time to read books to them, build a bond, and engage in various activities together. The workshops have truly helped motivate me to keep doing so."
- Micaela

"I learned how important it is to make time to be with them—to read books, to share, and to simply have moments together."
- Belkis

This Teacher Appreciation Week, we're giving the BIGGEST shoutout to our incredible educators! 🍎✨

Our teachers show up week after week with passion, expertise, and wisdom — and they make us proud every single day. They support our students through every chapter of their literacy journeys, empower them to advocate for themselves, and cheer them on every step of the way.

They create welcoming spaces where learning thrives, guide students in building lasting reading habits with their children, and equip families with the tools to build brighter futures.

The work we do simply would not be possible without them. Our work exists because of YOU. Thank you for everything you pour into this community. We are endlessly grateful. ❤️

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Our 2026 Literacy Partners Evening of Readings & Gala Dinner, is less than six weeks away, and we can't wait to celebrate the power of literacy with you!

Join us on Monday, June 8, 2026, at the stunning Pier Sixty in New York City for a night to remember. We'd love to see you there!

👉 Buy tickets here: https://literacypartners.org/gala/

We recently announced this year's extraordinary honorees—and what a lineup it is:

🌟 Patricia Cornwell, the beloved, best-selling author of the thriller genre, will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

🌟 Sabastian Niles, President and Chief Legal Officer at Salesforce and proud Literacy Partners board member, will be presented with the Distinguished Leadership in Literacy Award, in recognition of his unwavering dedication to our mission.

🌟 Barbara Tober, celebrated publisher and philanthropist, will receive the 2026 Lizzie Award, named in honor of our beloved founding member Liz Smith, for her passionate support of literacy.

🌟 Sherrie Westin, President and CEO at Sesame Workshop, will be honored as our esteemed Champion of Literacy, for her decades of transformative work in making education magical for children everywhere.

As is our cherished tradition, an inspiring Literacy Partners student will take the stage and share their personal journey with literacy—and as always, it promises to be the highlight of the evening.

And leading us through it all: Lesley Stahl, award-winning journalist and our host for the evening.

This is a night to celebrate remarkable people, powerful stories, and the enduring impact of literacy, two generations at a time. Will you join us? 👉 Buy tickets here: https://literacypartners.org/gala/

Our incredible New York City leadership council recently convened for their second in-person meeting! 🌟

Members read inspiring student stories posted along the walls of the meeting room, and then discussed the impact of literacy on a family's upward mobility, parents and children learning together, and the importance of literacy for critical thinking. 📚

Our CEO, Asaf Bar-Tura, PhD, reviewed the three key parts of our program: intensive classes, community workshops, and educational media, so the group could gain a deeper understanding of our work.

The main focus of the meeting was discussing the leadership council's three pillars of focus: fundraising, volunteering, and ambassadorship. We're so excited to see how the group will continue to grow our impact in the communities we serve!

🙏 Big thank you to Ehrenkranz Partners LP for hosting us!

To learn more about the leadership council, please visit: https://literacypartners.org/leadership-council/

Note: not all of our fabulous members are pictured.

We're happy to announce our stellar lineup of honorees for the 2026 Literacy Partners Evening of Readings & Gala Dinner on Monday, June 8, 2026, at Pier Sixty in New York City.

🎉 We are honored to bestow our Lifetime Achievement Award upon Patricia Cornwell, for her extraordinary career as an award-winning author most famous for her forensic thrillers. To date, over 120 million copies of her books have been sold in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries.

🎉 Sabastian V. Niles, President and Chief Legal Officer at Salesforce and our board member, will be presented with the Distinguished Leadership in Literacy Award, in recognition of his unwavering dedication to the power of literacy and his enthusiastic support of our important work over the years.

🎉 The 2026 Lizzie Award, named in honor of our founding member Liz Smith, will be presented to Barbara Tober, in recognition of her lifelong investment in authors, artists, journalism, and literacy-related projects. Known as a steadfast patron of the arts, publishing maven, and literacy advocate, we proudly recognize her for carrying forward Liz Smith’s legacy.

🎉 We will also honor Sherrie Westin, President and CEO at Sesame Workshop, as one of our esteemed Champions of Literacy. This award recognizes her enduring dedication to education and her profound belief in the transformative power of research-driven early learning for children.

Award-winning Journalist Lesley Stahl will be the host for the evening.

We invite you to join us for an inspiring evening, and to support our mission in advancing literacy two generations at a time. We look forward to celebrating these remarkable individuals and their invaluable contributions to literature, journalism, and storytelling as we support thousands of students in building better futures for themselves and their families.

Buy tickets now: https://literacypartners.org/gala/

Are you a champion of literacy? In less than TWO DAYS, Literacy Partners will be presenting its award-winning strategy at a Library of Congress webinar 💻 in celebration of winning the nation's top literacy award last year.

Learn about our work and other extraordinary literacy organizations who believe in the power of literacy. 🤝

Don't forget to register ➡️ https://loc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_lkva_HrcSbKzE-0vgk8x9w #/registration

As the winner of the David M. Rubenstein Prize last fall, highlighting our outstanding and measurable impact on family literacy across the country, The Library of Congress has invited Literacy Partners to speak at a national webinar. 🙌

Join us on April 8th, 3:00-4:15 p.m. EDT, where our Chief Program Officer, Michelle Lopez, will present on our award-winning strategy that advances literacy two generations at a time.

🔗 You can register for this specific webinar for free here: https://loc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_lkva_HrcSbKzE-0vgk8x9w #/registration

Check out the whole webinar series here: https://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2026/02/organizations-that-promote-literacy-across-the-globe-announcing-a-literacy-awards-webinar-series/

Last week, Literacy Partners traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada to connect with community members, organizations, and leaders who share our passion for transforming lives through the power of literacy. 🙌

With Nevada as one of the major hubs for the students we serve, it was wonderful to connect with local leaders from a wide range of companies and organizations, including: Children's Advocacy Alliance, The Children's Cabinet, The Parent Leadership Team of Nevada, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Dickinson Wright, Nevada Office of Minority Health and Equity, Nevada Gaming Commission, Passport Technology, Stallion Foods, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, and Family to Family Connection.

The inspiring evening took place at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, thanks to our board member, Calvin Siemer, who acts as Chief Legal Officer at the well-known luxury hotel.

Attendees heard uplifting stories, met the leadership team, and discovered how they can get involved with our mission of advancing literacy two generations at a time.

We look forward to building this momentum and to continuing to work with communities in Nevada! 🌟

As the winner of the David M. Rubenstein Prize last fall, highlighting our outstanding and measurable impact on family literacy across the country, The Library of Congress has invited Literacy Partners to speak at a national webinar. 🙌

Join us on April 8th, 3:00-4:15 p.m. EDT, where our Chief Program Officer, Michelle Lopez, will present on our award-winning strategy that advances literacy two generations at a time.

🔗 You can register for this specific webinar for free here: https://loc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_lkva_HrcSbKzE-0vgk8x9w #/registration

Check out the whole webinar series here: https://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2026/02/organizations-that-promote-literacy-across-the-globe-announcing-a-literacy-awards-webinar-series/