August 28th represents the 58th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior's iconic "I have a Dream" speech. Take a moment to relive his powerful words against racism and freedom. To what degree do they still ring true today, and what can we do about it?
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"We need to be our brothers’ keepers in our communities, because if people are going to start businesses and people are going to try to bring them down, they’re going to be scared."
~Judy Kuguru, Employment Case Manager & Transitions Navigator
August is Black Business Month, and we'd love to take a moment to delve into why that's important. For starters, Black-owned businesses, specifically those that have employees, are underrepresented in the US, with just over 2% of these businesses being Black-owned, despite Black Americans representing 13.4% of the population. Additionally, according to a University of California study, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the closing of 41% of Black-owned businesses, a stark contrast to the 17% of white-owned businesses. But there has been progress. While Black business owners may be underrepresented, their representation as a percentage of the population has increased by nearly one-third from 2002 to 2018.
There are still, however, a number of barriers to equalizing representation. In an effort to understand why these dichotomies exist and what we can do about it, Judy Kuguru, our Employment Case Manager and Transitions Navigator, explains some of the challenges she's witnessed in her experience partnering with our students as they navigate the workforce, as well as her involvement in advocating for opportunities in the Lake City community.
Here are some key points that Judy highlighted:
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Representation and mentorship: One important way to open pathways to traditionally disenfranchised groups is to ensure that they see themselves in positions of success. Judy specifically referenced a Literacy Source employment fair that emphasized the opportunity to start your own business. Says Judy: "We made efforts to show people that this is possible for you, having people on the panel that look like them. It works like a mentorship to our students to show that it’s possible and it brings more BIPOC businesses into our community. It is our community, if we don’t grow it who will?"
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Barrier reduction and access: Black individuals in the United States face historical barriers as a result of centuries of inequality, and our students in particular also face a language barrier. "Everything is in English which is so difficult. How can people of color, especially immigrants and refugees, have access to resources they need around starting their own businesses? How do we make these resources more accessible, equitable, inclusive? Right now it is made for people who have gone through a certain educational experience, but we need to consider how those people from different backgrounds and experiences can create such a diverse community and culture of people” says Judy.
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Community building: Discussions like this often yield the question: "What can I do?" Of course, supporting Black-owned business is part of the solution and Judy tells us about one organization: "Black Coffee Northwest on Aurora [in Shoreline], this is such a brilliant idea: a space for Black people, especially for youth, to hang out to develop programs." However, as Judy points out, Black Coffee Northwest has experienced a slew of vandalism incidents over the past nine months, including individuals throwing molotov cocktails and writing racist images at the establishment. Being an ally is another important role for those who wish to support the Black community. "We need to be our brothers’ keepers in our communities, because if people are going to start businesses and people are going to try to bring them down, they’re going to be scared," says Judy.
The movement for racial justice involves so many layers, and at Literacy Source we hope to present viewpoints that remind us all that beneath the status quo, there are opportunities for real, meaningful change. As always, we are proud to be part of a community that is always striving to create opportunity for all individuals.
In community,
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Cat Howell
Co-ED, Educational Director
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Shira Rosen
Co-ED, Managing Director
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Staff Spotlight & Goodbye |
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One of our beloved ESOL instructors, Kody Janney, is retiring! Read on about her experiences working with our students and what she loves about being a part of the Literacy Source team. |
What has been the highlight/most rewarding part of your role as ESOL instructor?
The students absolutely. Watching their English bloom and their life in America widen as a result. Just being around them brings joy and new perspectives into my life. I love how they create community. I have to say that the commitment of the staff is really a highlight too.
Why do you think the work we do at Literacy Source, and specifically our ESOL classes, are important?
From experience I know how hard it is to live in another country and not be able to speak or read the language. Every single thing you do becomes harder and more expensive. And you miss out on so much. Our style of teaching allows students from non-traditional educational backgrounds and with different learning styles and abilities to thrive. Letting students learn at their own pace with space for all the issues non-school life can present makes such a difference too. Our students are going through so much. Literacy Source eliminates the added stress of exams and failure at school. Our curriculum focuses on language skills that are relevant to everyday lives. And we incorporate some understanding of American culture into the classroom. That means navigating America becomes easier. I am so happy that we have now added digital skills into the mix. So much can only be done online these days. And I really want to stress that the tutors make all the difference for our students. They are a keystone of our program.
What would you like to share about your experience working at Literacy Source?
The staff is so supportive. We are encouraged to keep learning about better ways to teach, better ways to interact with the students and with the outside world. Our suggestions are taken seriously. The students are really the focus of what we do.
Anything else you would like to share (like future plans, or how you might stay connected to the LS community?
I'm not sure that you can keep me away from Literacy Source I will certainly return in some capacity or other. I will also keep up my own language studies, continue painting, and in the short term take a few other classes. Plus, I have a new grandson to play with.
We're so happy to hear that you plan to stay involved, Kody, and thank you for your passion and dedication to our mission!
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Citizenship Application Assistance Program |
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While you probably know that Literacy Source offers citizenship classes and one-to-one tutoring for low-income immigrants who would like to become US citizens, did you know that we also offer citizenship application help, including fee waiver assistance, for low income individuals even if they aren't enrolled in our citizenship classes?
Here is one story of why these programs are important to the community:
What was your goal when you came into Literacy Source?
I just wanted them to help me with the application for the citizenship. When I started the application for my green card I did it myself with the help of my daughters and my husband and we had so much trouble with it. We made some mistakes and it came back and forth. It took more time than it should have taken.
I know that if I go to a lawyer he would help me with that, but they will need so much money. In addition to that, I am legally blind and my husband has memory problem so he cannot help me a lot with the forms. So I read about Literacy Source. A neighbor came, adjacent to my house and I knew that they help with that so I contacted. When I contacted them, it was Isabel [former Citizenship Program Manager] that I first knew, and now I think she’s retired. She said, “Yes, you can come over and we can help you with everything and we can even help you to waive the fees if you are a low income family”. They did, and they were really nice.
Why do you think an organization like Literacy Source is so important for our community?
Well, because there are people like me. They have many reasons that they would need somebody to help them. I mean, my English language is good but I have a disability. I am blind and I cannot fill out forms. I have two daughters, they are adults, they have their lives they don’t live anymore at my home. Sometimes, they are not available so such programs would help people to, instead of living in the States illegally just to go for the legal thing and start the process and get their citizenship.
You can find out more about what citizenship assistance we offer at Literacy Source here.
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We are Lil' Tiger's Non-Profit of the Month! |
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Lil’ Tiger is the new ice cream shop in Lake City, just a few blocks down from our office at 12348 Lake City Way NE.
For the month of August, they will match 50% of tips given to their staff and donate it to us!
Learn more about them here, and enjoy some ice cream!
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We're hiring for the following Americorps position:
Please help us spread the word!
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We're pleased to announce we received a $20,000 grant from the Norman Raab Foundation for operating funds and a $5,000 grant from Kawabe Memorial Fund to support our senior students.
We also received $5,000 from an anonymous donor.
We are so appreciative of the support!
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Literacy Source is on the traditional lands of the Duwamish people, and we pay our respect to elders both past and present. To support the revival of Duwamish culture and the vitality of the Duwamish Tribe, please consider signing this petition to federally recognize them, or consider making a donation to Real Rent Duwamish.
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Literacy Source | 206-782-2050 | 3200 NE 125th St. Seattle, WA 98125 | www.literacysource.org |
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