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March, 2026
Connect. Learn. Change. CLC Newsletter
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Welcome to The March CLC Newsletter -- Private Reserve is Coming April 9!
Each year, the Private Reserve Gala plays a vital role in sustaining the work of Community Literacy Centers. The generosity of our sponsors, donors, and guests helps fund programs that serve adult learners across the Oklahoma City metro throughout the year. For the adults we serve, literacy is more than reading or improving English — it is access to opportunity, enabling individuals to understand important information, support their children’s education, pursue better jobs, and participate fully in our community.
Many of our students are immigrants who have chosen Oklahoma City as their home. They are parents, workers, neighbors, and future citizens building stable lives here. When adults strengthen their literacy and language skills, the impact extends across families, classrooms, and workplaces. In an era when immigration enforcement and policy are part of daily headlines, literacy becomes even more essential, equipping learners to helps learners understand systems, navigate them responsibly, and pursue citizenship with confidence.
The Private Reserve Gala on April 9 at The Petroleum Club helps make this work possible. Because of your support, adults are able to strengthen their literacy, prepare for citizenship, and build more secure futures for their families. As you consider the weeks ahead, we invite you to be part of Private Reserve — by attending, supporting, or sharing our mission — and help ensure literacy and opportunity remain within reach for every adult who is ready to learn.
— Sharron Jackson, President and CEO
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New Reading Partners Coordinator: Monica Suyo
Community Literacy Centers is proud to welcome Monica Suyo Mateo as our 2026 Reading Partners Coordinator. A bilingual educator and ESL teacher with CLC, Monica brings not only deep experience in community engagement, but a personal passion for expanding access to education for adult learners across Oklahoma City.
Originally from Lima, Peru, Monica has built her career around supporting immigrant and multilingual families as they navigate new systems, new opportunities, and new futures. Through her work with EnrollOKC and in the classroom at CLC, she has helped families find their footing and move forward with confidence—one step, one conversation, and one lesson at a time.
In her new role, Monica will lead and grow CLC’s Reading Partners program, supported by the Crowley Family Fund. This program pairs volunteers and teachers with adult learners in a two-on-one setting, creating space for connection, encouragement, and growth. It is where reading becomes more than a skill—it becomes confidence, independence, and possibility—bringing to life CLC’s Connect. Learn. Change. philosophy.
Monica holds a Master’s Degree in Human Relations and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma and has extensive experience in outreach, program development, and volunteer coordination. We are honored to have her leading this important work and look forward to the lives she will impact.
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“When adults build their reading skills, they don’t just change their own lives—they change the future of their families.” -- Monica Suyo
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Student Story: Crystal -- breaking the cycle so my daughter doesn't experience the difficulties I did.
Illiteracy often starts with family disruption. For Crystal, it began early. After her father left, she moved between homes and quickly fell behind in school. Eventually, she dropped out, started a family, and found ways to move forward. But when her daughter began to struggle in school, Crystal faced a painful reality—she couldn’t help her the way she wanted to. Then Crystal found CLC.
Now, she’s building her skills, her confidence, and a new path forward—for herself and for her daughter. Watch Crystal’s story and see how literacy is changing the future of her family.
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Support Private Reserve 2026 - A Night of a Thousand Stories
Every life-changing journey begins with a single step—and for many of our students, that step starts with learning to read.
On April 9, Community Literacy Centers invites you to A Night of a Thousand Stories at the Petroleum Club in downtown Oklahoma City, 6-9 p.m. Private Reserve 2026 is more than an evening out—it is an opportunity to be part of journeys that transform lives. For the adults we serve, literacy opens doors to new possibilities—better jobs, stronger families, and the confidence to navigate everyday life.
This year’s gala brings that idea to life through “Trips of a Lifetime” experiences. Throughout the evening, guests will have the opportunity to bid on curated travel packages and book one-of-a-kind experiences—each one representing the spirit of possibility and exploration that literacy makes possible. From unforgettable destinations to meaningful shared moments, these experiences mirror the journeys our learners are taking every day.
We are honored to recognize Mary Blankenship Pointer as the 2026 Gourley Leaders in Literacy
Award recipient and Erin Batey as the 2026 Page Turner Award recipient—two individuals whose leadership helps make these journeys possible.
Your support fuels these stories in motion. By attending, sponsoring, donating, or volunteering, you help ensure more adults can take that first step—and continue forward with confidence.
Because when one person learns to read, the journey doesn’t end—it expands. And entirely new stories begin. We hope you will join us. More info
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CLC in the News - Telemundo
Community Literacy Centers was recently featured on Telemundo Oklahoma, highlighting our ESL and citizenship programs and the growing need for adult literacy support across Oklahoma City.
While the interview aired in Spanish, it underscores a broader reality: many adults in our community are working to build stable lives without the language access needed to fully participate.
“When adults improve their literacy skills, the benefits ripple through entire families,” said Sharron Jackson, CEO of Community Literacy Centers.
If we are serious about building stronger communities, we must expand access to adult literacy now. For many, language is the barrier between where they are and where they want to be. Investing in ESL and citizenship education strengthens families, supports student success, and creates more stable futures.
Join us in expanding access. Volunteer, give, or partner with CLC to help more adults gain the skills they need — and create brighter futures for their families.
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🙏 Support our mission!
Whether through time, talent, or donation, your support keeps adult literacy programs free and accessible. You can make a general donation or select something from our Wish List. No matter how you support CLC, you are helping to change lives through literacy.
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