2025 – 2027 Literacy Lantern Program
Mission: To engage African Ancestry (Black, African, Caribbean) peoples in partnership with parents or guardians to support literacy while promoting cultural awareness and interest in literature directly benefiting students.
Vision: To create in children an appreciation and respect for the AA (Black, African, Caribbean) community with knowledge anchored in dignity and ancestral roots which acknowledge their value within the AA community.
Goal: To cultivate AA literature and culture with thirty children while reading a minimum of fifteen books for each child, four to eleven years old, during ninety-minute sessions, October through March.
The Santa Clara County Alliance of Black Educators (SCCABE) launched the Literacy Lantern Program October 2025, pairing twenty children, with individual readers (L-Readers). The L-Readers and parents decided on the place, date, and time of the monthly sessions. The most convenient library was recommended. However, Zoom or Google Meets were approved when necessary.
The concept of Literacy Lantern represented a glow, a small light, which could be culturally affirming for children in Silicon Valley. It presented Literary experiences grounded in respect and dignity of the African American community, utilizing community people. The program was intergenerational and sessions featured culturally relevant literature designed to build literacy skills (comprehension, vocabulary, inference, prediction) while nurturing meaningful connections between generations.
Books were provided through a collaborative effort among San Jose Public Library System, Delta Sigma Theta Alumni, Della Productions, African Ancestry Museum, Santa Clara County Office of Education, and the African American Community Service Agency. Each child was required to obtain a library card; thus, entire families were encouraged to obtain library cards. The nearest library was recommended as the primary meeting location for literacy sessions. Zoom or Goggle Meets were used when necessary.
Parents/guardians were responsible for transportation, signing a permission slip/emergency contact form, being available during sessions, and attending two Town Hall sessions, currently labeled “Parent Caucus.” The first caucus attendance is required and contains tips and techniques for reading aloud at home, and introduction to Literary Readers (L-readers). Each Caucus offered supervision for children.
You are invited to sip, browse and/or join the community of L-Readers or enroll your children or grandchildren. Volunteers are welcome. READ, LEARN, WIN!
