Illiteracy is the great silencer. I am sometimes asked just how important literacy is to me. I was 37 years old before I ever told anyone about what happened on that fateful day in the third grade. It wasn't until I put it on paper that I ever told a soul. 

 Read Blair's Story (PDF)

Calisa Reid’s fighting spirit shines through the moment you meet her. When she starts talking about her past, you realize this determination has been present her entire life. 



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On a late summer afternoon at the Mallets Creek branch library, Washtenaw Literacy volunteer tutor Bob Heinold and his learner Kaba are hard at work. Bob’s briefcase sits on the table, packed with books, worksheets and lesson plans. The two men methodically complete a vocabulary exercise together. Bob and Kaba’s life experiences may be worlds apart, but as a tutoring pair they’re a perfect match. 


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Wonderful changes result from literacy tutoring. Karen Fivenson has been working with her tutor Monica since 2002. Through her work with Monica, Karen has gained the skills and confidence not only to enroll at Washtenaw Community College, but also to become a public speaker for Washtenaw Literacy. 



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Kenny Vladaj was fleeing for his life when he arrived in the United States from Kosovo. Kenny struggled to find a home, land a job and build a life in Ann Arbor. One of his biggest challenges was learning a new language so he could accomplish the most basic tasks in his new country. 

 Read Kenny's Story (PDF)