Village Foundation and its literacy campaign partners: Taking the world to African-American men and boys

New Crisis, The, Sep/Oct 2000 by Lee, D T

Taking the Word to African-American Men and Boys

Federick Douglass said, "Once you learn to read you will be forever free." Perhaps this is why so many African-American men are incarcerated or otherwise linked to the criminal justice system. They have not yet learned to read.

Illiteracy has reached a crisis level in the African-American community, especially among men and boys. Village Foundation, a national organization based in metropolitan Washington, D.C., with a mission to reintegrate African-American men and boys into mainstream society, is set to propel the movement that sends African-- American men and boys back to the books.

Why?

Because the numbers of those who have drifted away are staggering: approximately 40% of minority youth are illiterate, according to a study by the Chicago Public Schools and illiteracy is a leading indicator that a student will drop out of school, still unable to read or write well enough to earn a living.

Inevitably, these same youths, unable to obtain gainful employment flood the nation's prisons. And the numbers only get worse. The National institute of Corrections reports 50% of adults in federal and state prisons cannot read or write; two-thirds of the inmates have not completed high school; and one-fourth of the inmates have not completed elementary school.

The National Institute of Justice finds that many inmates have a learning deficiency that has never been addressed with adults functioning below the 5th grade reading level. One out of fourteen adult black males are incarcerated, doubling the 1985 statistic. And one out of three black males, aged 20-29, are under some form of criminal justice supervision.

But Village Foundation's newest campaign to repair the widening breach between society and African-American men and boys is not about numbers. It's about the word. Getting the word out to thousands of men and boys that their efforts to mature and prosper will be hampered if they do not learn to read and write.

It is also a campaign to get the word out to members of the African-American community that their resources, including time and money are needed to rid the community of this debilitating deficiency.

The National Literacy Summit, set for October 11-12, 2000, is not addressing an issue of African-American regression says Patrick Johnson, Village Foundation Program Director and spokesman for the Literacy Campaign.

"The problem may look familiar, but it's not," he says. "The literacy challenge faced by today's African-American male is a result of the new, fast-paced visual age that we now live in. The current generation does not read for pleasure. Books are not the medium of choice for their personal enjoyment. Entertainment has put an emphasis on the visual. But this trend is not unique to the African-- American community. For example, most Americans now watch CNN to find out about world events rather than read about them in newspapers."

Johnson goes on to say, "But reading is basic. If a young man thinks he can get by without reading because he can play video games or manipulate other images on a monitor, it is important to remind him that in order to install the game, you must be able to read the manual. However, the goal is to get young men to the point where they want to design and program their own games."

Village Foundation is the natural catalyst for this literary movement because of its 33 National African American Male Collaborative (NAAMC) programs. The idea is to enhance these already existing programs by adding a literacy component to the programs, as well as the Village Success Club. The Club's keystone is reading. The Village Success Club will also establish chapters around the country in response to the needs of the community.

Partnering with Village Foundation in the literacy program is the United States Department of Labor, the Leadership Institute of Chicago, a nonprofit organization, directed by Stedman Graham, that helps African-American men and boys in the city of Chicago, and B. and C. Associates, a public relations firm headquartered in High Point, North Carolina.

Present at the National literacy Summit in October 2000 will be representatives from Village Foundation, the Department of Labor, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, national literacy and literary organizations, men's organizations, civil rights organizations, political organizations and public school systems.

The literacy campaign will initially focus on African-American males in public schools, alternative learning environments and correctional institutions. The movement will stress that reading is necessary to achieve a fulfilling occupation, participate in the nation's decision-making process, satisfy individual curiosities and pursue personal growth. Furthermore, in the information age literacy is essential. Without it, advancement is nearly impossible.

The literacy campaign is also intergenerational, targeting boys as well as their fathers. Village Foundation will serve as a clearinghouse that builds coalitions and mobilizes organizations and individuals to tackle illiteracy. Their aim is to foster programs that do not have weak spots-fortified by ample funding, trained instructors, cutting-edge resources and the proper encouragement and inducements.