Margaret,

Thank you for sending your post! You reminded me how a few months after
Katrina, there was almost excitement in the air, that there was now an
opportunity to actually create a brand new adult literacy system from
scratch, using all of the best practices and research knowledge that we
have gained throughout all the years. In fact, I remember sitting in a
meeting in DC, being asked along with other colleagues for suggestions
on what we would suggest to a city who was starting from scratch in
terms of rebuilding its adult literacy system. 

In my opinion, the nation has failed the people in  New Orleans, and we
at the grass roots level owe something to our brothers and sisters in
the field of adult literacy. I am glad to read that you believe that
many would be prepared to help in a coordinated advocacy  effort. Do you
have any concrete ideas? Are there any advocates on this list who may
have ideas on what we can or should do? Do our panelists want to jump in
and help guide this discussion from your perspective?

Thanks,
Daphne




>>> <DoughtyHRC at aol.com> 8/23/2007 11:17 AM >>>


Hi All - The people and organizations working in New  Orleans have not
only 
had the challenges that existed prior to Katrina and the  rebuilding
post 
Katrina but they had also had to deal with what was described to  me as
the ‘
wonderful opportunities for renewal’; the chance to build a school 
district from 
scratch with all the knowledge of what works best; the chance to 
create a new 
adult literacy system with the benefits of best practices and  targeted

resources and the interest and support of a caring nation!   
Where are the resources to help the people with limited literacy
skills,  the 
resources to reopen the sites and support the coordination of services?
 
Louisiana was awarded  several very substantial grants, primarily from
the DOL, 
for skills development  for those with a ninth grade reading level or
above.  
There was ‘high level’ discussion about  trying to change the way
the grants 
were written to accommodate the skill  development needs of job seekers
with 
limited literacy skills.   There were meetings in DC, there  were
requests for 
help.  This is not  necessarily about whole system change it is just
changing a 
word, a sentence in  a federal grant to open up the resources to the
people 
needing them and it  couldn't be done!   Of course,  it really could
have been 
done but our time, energy, persistence, and  coordination of national 
organizations were not there to make it happen. No  wonder we, both
personally and 
organizationally, have failed the people in  New Orleans.  
The Literacy Alliance and their local programs know what  it is that
the 
people need and want.  They listen to the voice of the community.  They
have 
developed creative and  successful workforce and skill development
projects.  Can't 
we all work together to make  changes in the way funding could be used
to 
align the funds to the needs of the  people, help access those
resources, 
financial and human, that Rachel described  very clearly and help scale
up the 
resources to meet the needs.  There is not a lack of funding.  There is
a lack of 
listening and  aligning funding to meet needs.  I  know many of us
would be 
prepared to help again in a coordinated advocacy  effort.   
Margaret
 




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