LitWorld believes in the power of listening well, especially to children and young people who are traditionally marginalized and kept quiet. We believe in the power of amplifying the stories of their lives, their hopes, their fears, their needs, their goals, and greatest dreams. These stories and the young people who share them, full of strength and potential, have the power to build a world of equity and freedom.
Listening and amplifying are not enough. While LitWorld has always put the voices of those we serve first and foremost, this is a time when we must all stand by what is right and use our voices to call out the racism, anti-Blackness, and White supremacy embedded in our global society. To affirm that Black Lives Matter.
We believe that access to literacy and the power of stories lays the foundation for equity and human rights. We call upon you to consider alongside us how we can all take action more fully for Black children every day. This is the only way that we can support all children and ensure every voice is heard. Young people cannot change the world with their stories if they cannot breathe.
Education will never look the same after this pivotal moment in history, and in the midst of this devastation and heartbreak, that gives us some hope.
Our only path forward is to continue standing up for Black lives and amplifying Black stories because as a society, we need to do so, so much better. Our future depends on it.