FebruaryNEWSLETTER | 2025 | | |
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In 2007, The United Nations adopted a resolution to create the World Day of Social Justice, occurring on February 20th each year. It recognizes that social development and justice are integral for maintaining peace and security among all nations. Read more here. | |
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As we enter Black History Month, we reflect on the power of literacy to shape futures, open doors, and create opportunities—especially for the Black community, whose resilience and contributions have enriched our shared history. This year's theme is African Americans and Labor, focusing on "the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds – free and unfree, skilled, and unskilled, vocational and voluntary – intersect with the collective experiences of Black people," according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the founders of Black History Month.
At Literacy Source, we create equal access to education because systemic injustices and oppression lead to unequal opportunities and barriers to participation. This has impacted communities of color disproportionately, contributing to lower literacy rates and demonstrating just how important the basic skills programs we offer to our students are in improving their lives. Whether teaching students in our Ready To Work class about how technological advances can impact the workplace, practicing clocking in and out of a job, or understanding a pay check, we are committed to ensuring that our students gain the real world skills that create new opportunities for themselves, their families, and the community.
This month, we are excited to launch our Building Futures Fund, a campaign designed to support our expansion in both our space and our programs, support our educators, and reach more learners in need. You'll find more info on this below.
Together, we can build a more just, educated, and empowered future. Thanks for partnering with us on this journey.
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Cat Howell
Co-ED, Educational Director
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Shira Rosen
Co-ED, Managing Director
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Building Futures Fund
We invite you to be a part of our Building Futures Fund. We’ve recently moved into a larger, more accessible space in Lake City that will enable us to serve more students. But our work isn’t done yet. This new location—designed with our students, staff, and community in mind—comes with increased costs and the need to furnish and equip classrooms, offices, and shared learning spaces. We also want to retain our outstanding staff and pay them an equitable, living wage for the Seattle area and are working hard to ensure our team is compensated fairly (see more in the piece below).
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We have raised $527,000 and invite you to help us reach our goal of $550,000 by June 30th, 2025. To donate and learn more, visit our website www.literacysource.org/building-futures-fund or call us at 206-782-2050. Every gift makes a difference.
Thank you for supporting our students and community!
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Pay Equity
A priority of our 2022-2025 Strategic Plan is fair compensation for our staff. One step we took last year to work towards the goal of paying our staff a living wage in a city as dynamic and costly as Seattle was to employ a pay matrix. Sourced from the organization Young Women Empowered, the pay matrix asks a variety of questions about the skills and experience our staff bring to the job and they recieved pay raises based on their responses.
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We are proud of the talent and lived experience our team brings to the impactful partnerships they build with our students, and with your support we plan to continue to pursue fair compensation for our staff. | |
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Volunteer & Student Spotlight: Thank You for Helping us Move Offices!
We are so grateful for the team of dedicated students and volunteers (and of course staff!) that helped us to accomplish the momentous task of moving offices in early January. Many thanks to Ahmed, Ann, Chris, Cynthia, Gloria, Haleemah, Ian, Jeong, Jess, Kaya, Karen, Lia, Linda, Marwan, Obse, Paulina, Ray, Riley Wei, Wensheng, and Winnie. We couldn't have done it without you!
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Save the Date: Writing the Next Chapter | |
Join us for our in-person Literacy Source Luncheon at the Seattle Mountaineers on April 24, 2025. We have much to celebrate and would love to have you join us.
Doors open at 11:30 for networking and registration, the program is from 12-1pm.
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If you’re interested in volunteering at this event, please email analisaj@literacysource.org. We are looking for table hosts, greeters, help with registration, set-up, and tear-down, and more. If you are a business owner, interested in sponsoring this event, please email staceyh@literacysource.org.
We hope to see you there!
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Federal Funding Update
We want to give an update about specific impacts of the new administration on our funding and Literacy Source's ability to provide services. At this point, our understanding is that our federal funding has been appropriated by Congress. We would anticipate any possible changes to our funding coming from the executive branch going into litigation, as any congressionally-appropriated funding cannot legally be rescinded by the executive branch. There will be litigation to determine how much power the executive branch is allowed to consolidate, but we do not anticipate any short-term impacts to our federal funding.
We will be continuing to monitor any spaces for advocacy and regularly informing our community. We will particularly try to amplify important advocacy work of partner organizations (see below the Advocacy Action Days opportunity with TESOL).
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TESOL is offering Advocacy Action Days, where you can:
- Build relationships with your representative and senators.
- Learn more about the policies that impact ELT and MLEs.
- Lift the voice of learners, families, and your communities.
- Hone your advocacy skills.
You can find more info and sign up here.
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Ready to engage further with Literacy Source? | |
To make a difference in the lives of others | |
To invest in something that makes a lasting impact | |
To have a strong and thriving workplace | | | | |
