Culturally Responsive Representation

Organizes in-person and virtual author and artist visits to under-resourced K-12 schools across multiple states, providing free books to students during each visit. In one program cycle, reached 15,000 students across 21 states and over 40 cities in 18 states, featuring prominent authors such as Angie Thomas, Grace Lin, and Tomi Adeyemi.

Collects and reports data from educators on the impact of author and artist visits, including findings that 96% observed increased student excitement about reading, 92% noted greater interest in writing and sharing stories, and 77% reported the distributed book was the first owned by some students.

Hosts summer book giveaway events, such as one in Los Angeles, to distribute new books directly to students to promote literacy and access to reading materials.

Facilitates community reading sessions in schools and public spaces using trained educators and provides classroom access to digital reading tools. Supports daily family reading engagement through trained Reading Ambassadors and localized content.

Provides free access to over 1,200 multilingual children's story books through a web reader, mobile app, and digital platforms, reaching over 14 million children across 10+ countries in 41 languages. Offers audiobooks on Spotify and donor-funded classroom and family subscriptions to the NABU app.

Creates original and adapted children's books, audio narrations, and digital resources in underserved languages such as Medumba, Ewondo, Ibibio, and Hausa. Produces country-wide radio programs and adapts stories for delivery via smart TVs, tablets, and community radio in local languages.

Operates a publishing platform that enables authors to create and publish bilingual children's books reflecting local cultures. Publishes books translated into 25 languages and supports the production of leveled books in underserved languages.

Trains local artists, storytellers, and creators—particularly from underrepresented communities—to write, illustrate, and publish culturally relevant children's books in mother tongue languages. Includes a Creative Fellowship program in Miami for Haitian and Caribbean heritage artists.

Designs and delivers professional learning programs for educators and community-based organizations, introducing research-based, culturally responsive, play-based literacy strategies grounded in adult learning theory to strengthen family literacy support services.

Provides foundational literacy skills to children by engaging parents and caregivers through workshop series, community events, and home-based literacy practices across all five NYC boroughs. Programs include bilingual (English/Spanish) offerings and are delivered in partnership with schools, libraries, childcare centers, hospitals, and cultural institutions.

Operates 35 Literacy Zones at partner sites to provide free books and reading access in community spaces, and supports participation through a mobile app that enables event registration, geolocated literacy events, reminders, rewards, and age-appropriate programming in English and Spanish.

Organizes annual citywide events such as Reading on the Rails—where families read together on subways and ferries en route to a celebration—and virtual, bilingual Reading Celebrations focused on inclusion themes like autism awareness during National Autism Acceptance Month.

Coordinates large-scale programs such as City's First Readers and NYC Reads Initiative, providing continuous literacy support from birth through fifth grade in targeted neighborhoods like East Harlem, East New York, and South Jamaica. Includes hospital-based outreach starting at Bellevue Hospital and partnerships with entities like the New York Yankees and Deloitte.

Provides virtual workshops, bilingual storytimes, and interactive literacy events via digital platforms, enabling remote access to LINC activities for families unable to attend in person.

Deploys neighborhood managers in specific NYC communities to connect families with local LINC resources and sustain relationships with community leaders and institutions to promote adoption of the Community Literacy Model.

Provides specialized literacy and emotional well-being programming for immigrant families, including “Know Your Rights” kits and culturally responsive resources, using a trauma-informed approach to support early literacy development.

Trains committed caregivers as Very Involved Parents (VIPs) through the VIP Academy, equipping them to serve as neighborhood literacy leaders who deliver community reading programs and promote early literacy in their communities across all five boroughs.

Manages social media content for organizational outreach and engagement, and performs general administrative tasks to support ongoing operations.