S6 E4: From the community, for the community: Grassroots organizing with Naomi Peña & Akeela Azcuy

Community and education activist Naomi Peña and clinical psychologist Dr. Akeela Azcuy knew that, as moms of struggling readers themselves, they had the opportunity to advocate for not only their own children but all children. These two leaders and changemakers founded Literacy Academy Collective with the goal of one day creating a stand-alone New York City public school devoted to educating children with language-based learning disabilities as well as struggling readers. In this episode, our guests share their own families’ experiences with dyslexia, how that impacted their activism, and how listeners at home can effect grassroots change in their own communities.

Additional Resources:

• Literacy Academy Collective homepage 
• “Parents play a major role in new dyslexia pilot program”—NY1
• “The rise and fall of vibes-based literacy”—The New Yorker
• “In the fight over how to teach reading, this guru makes a major retreat”—The New York Times
• Become an Amplify Tutor—Don’t miss this opportunity to make an impact in young readers' lives!

Quotes:

“Leaders tend to forget that you get more out of parents if you collaborate with them, if you're honest.” — Naomi Peña

“With the level and degree of training, understanding, and privilege that I had, it was still – and still continues to be – an overwhelming battle to get your child the services that they need.” — Akeela Azcuy