LEAP Richmond

Join LEAP's Families For Literacy for programs during the summer such as making puppets, collaborative storytelling and puppet show and making tie-dye t-shirts!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for an delightful afternoon with our captivating storyteller, Olithia O'Toole! From charming tales of clever animals outwitting their human counterparts to touching stories of animal friendships, including learning something new from the African folk story, 'Why the Buzzard Has a Red Neck,' it was an afternoon filled with mirth, merriment and moral tales. We hope you enjoyed these magical moments as much as we did!

Please join the Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at Nicholl Park. From 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Juneteenth is more than a date in history—it’s a celebration of freedom, resilience, and joy.

It honors the moment in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas finally learned they were free—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

But Juneteenth isn’t just about what was—it’s about who we are. Families gather, stories are shared, music rises, and the richness of Black culture takes center stage. It’s a reminder that freedom is not just a legal word—it’s lived in laughter, dance, food, and connection.

Today, we recognize the pain of the past and celebrate the humanity, creativity, and strength that have always endured.

Happy Juneteenth. May we keep building a future where everyone is truly free.

Our ESL class took language learning beyond the classroom with a field trip to the Richmond Art Museum! From interpreting art to sparking new vocabulary, every gallery was a chance to connect, learn, and be inspired. LEAP students bring curiosity everywhere they go—and this time, it came with paint, poetry, and plenty of conversation.

It’s National Volunteer Week, and we’re sending a giant shoutout to the incredible humans who give their time, talents, and energy to make the world brighter.

Whether you're organizing, tutoring, marching, making phone calls, or just quietly showing up where you're needed—your work matters more than words can say. Volunteers don’t wait for permission or perfect conditions. They step in, lift others up, and remind us what community really means.

So this week (and every week), we’re cheering you on. Thanks for being the heartbeat of change.

To our amazing volunteer tutors — thank you for showing up, week after week, with patience, passion, and purpose. 🌟 Your time, energy, and dedication make a real difference in the lives of our learners. We couldn’t do this without you, and honestly… we wouldn’t want to. 💛

Our ESL adult learners are cooking up more than just great meals—they're cooking up language skills, too. This week’s lesson was all about vegetables: learning their names in English, then turning them into a delicious dish together. Nothing beats hands-on learning (and tasting.) Proud of our students for chopping through new vocabulary and stirring up confidence in the kitchen and the classroom.

Sometimes, even with the loudest voices and the clearest warnings, change doesn’t happen as quickly or as completely as we’d hope. You’ve shown up and spoken out, which is a testament to your commitment to what you believe in, and that’s far from being a defeatist. The reality is, being on the right side of history doesn’t always mean getting immediate results, but it does mean laying the groundwork for something better over time.
People who shared your concerns have made an impact, even if it doesn’t feel like enough right now. Public outcry and sustained advocacy have blocked or delayed problematic policies in the past and have held leaders accountable when few others did. But if it seems like it’s falling on deaf ears, it’s likely not because people don’t care; it could be a mix of feeling powerless or overwhelmed, or seeing the issues so differently that it’s hard to find common ground.
Maybe this moment can be a reminder that advocacy isn’t just about the “wins”—it’s also about resilience and consistency. History is full of people who struggled against seemingly insurmountable odds, and while their successes took time, their persistence is what made change possible. It’s incredibly hard to stay hopeful when the stakes feel so high, but every time someone like you speaks up, it chips away at the apathy and reinforces the call for something better.