Lou asks: "what does 'to operationalize community literacy and reclaim
the lives and hopes of local people...' mean to the average low level
adult in and around the City of New Orleans?"

Years ago, New Orleans' oldest literacy program went straight to local
residents to ask that question, and used their feedback to create a new
vision for the program. See this article from "Focus on Basics":

YES! A Literacy Program's Antiracist Journey 
by Margery Freeman & Lou Johnson
http://www.ncsall.net/?id=209

What do you all think of this approach? Does it make sense? Is it
feasible?

Julie

Julie McKinney
Discussion List Moderator
World Education/NCSALL
jmckinney at worlded.org


>>> <loujyesnola at netscape.net> 10/26/07 12:29 AM >>>


 Enough Already!



What, pray tell, is it going to take for all of these well intended
folks to "get it".



As my grandmother often said, "the road to hell is paved with good
intentions."



The Boggs National Center for Community Literacy itself was built on a
lie!



Millions of dollars said to benefit poor folk residing in public
housing actually went into building the library building that the
center is currently housed in.



The original Boggs Center Board of Directors had seats for the resident
leadership from public housing and when they "smelled a rat" in the
process and stopped attending the board meetings where their voices
were ignored, at best. They quit attending the board meetings and
believe it or not those in control of things sought to remove them, the
very folks the whole thing was ostensibly about, from the board. Why
you ask? Because they quit attending board meetings that in their view
were little more than a farce!

 

What in the world does the earlier stated "to operationalize community
literacy and reclaim the lives and hopes of local people through
workforce literacy and economic development strategies"
mean to the average low level adult in and around the City of New
Orleans? Absolutely Nothing! And that is exactly my point. For far too
long very little has been done along the lines of doing things that
mean something to low functioning adults! Much in the way of dollars
and lip service continues to be directed to meet the desires,needs and
wishes of the haves as those same things for the have-nots continue to
go, pretty much, ignored!!

 

Literacy should be for literacy's sake and not the enrichment of a few
on the backs of those less able!



"The end of all education should surely be service to others!" - César
E. Chávez



NOT! The exploitation of some for the benefit of others!!



Marginalization must end! If not now! When? If not you! Who? If it is to
be. IT IS UP TO THEE & ME!





UNITED BY OUR ENDEAVORS

Lou C.
----
Lou C. Johnson
Senior Program Director
River Parishes YMCA

We build strong kids, strong families and strong communities!

P.O. Box 311
Destrehan, LA 70047-0311
504-722-7207
985-331-9069(Fax)

Member, South Central Literacy Action Board of Directors-Past President
Member, ProLiteracy Worldwide Board of Directors-Executive Committee

Literacy And Justice For All!

"We
cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and
prosperity for our community...Our ambitions must be broad enough to
include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and our
own."
--- César E. Chávez

 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Daphne Greenberg <ALCDGG at langate.gsu.edu>
To: RaceWomen and Literacy Discussion List The Poverty
<povertyracewomen at nifl.gov>
Sent: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 1:46 pm

Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 1387] follow-up to discussion on literacy
Post Katrina











Remember the discussion we had on literacy Post Katrina? Petrice
Sams-Abiodun 
(from Lindy Boggs National Center for Community Literacy & Literacy
Alliance of 
Greater New Orleans), Rachel Nicolosi (from Literacy Alliance of Greater
New 
Orleans), Ben Johnson (from Greater New Orleans Foundation), Tanya Shuy
(from 
the University) had a conference call a few weeks ago to discuss some of the
next 
steps that were shared on our discussion list. The main issue that was
discussed 
was the need to operationalize community literacy and reclaim the lives
and 
hopes of local people through workforce literacy and economic
development 
strategies.

The question posed was, 'What can outsiders do to support the literacy
goals of 
the Alliance?'  There are several literacy groups offering help.  Sandra
Baxter, 
from NIFL, will address the Alliance board in October and discuss
possibilities. 
A partnership between COABE, ProLiteracy, and the Center for Literacy
Studies 
will provide training in February 2008.  Other questions discussed were:
How 
will today's discussion help to inform others and how will we
collaborate on 
activities to maximize support?  How can we harness the expertise and
resources 
of the broader literacy community to support the New Orleans literacy
agenda?  
This could include any requested support to the Casey initiative, the
scale up 
of the Bridge Project and the developing Regional Workforce System
initiative.  
The system is focusing on two strategies 1) system reform and 2)
resources
to sustain the effort.

The key needs identified include the following:
 *  ESL system development
 *  Additional 'hands' and 'voices' to be available at the various
 discussion tables
 *  Advocacy support (including legislative wording and waiver
 possibilities)
 *  Resource development
 *  Reading and Assessment Center
 *  Regional Workforce Initiative Support

 There is a plan to meet in New Orleans in late November to develop
specific 
action steps to support the Alliance in one or two key issue areas
mentioned 
above.

Daphne



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