Mother Goose Lands in Rural Liberia



LitWorld's collaborative project with our dear friend Kimmie Weeks, legendary youth activist, brings Mother Goose (and many more interesting characters) to rural Liberia. With Scholastic's support, LitWorld and Kimmie have been able to distribute books to students all over Liberia, many schools who have little to no access to support. The schools fall so far behind, that many of the students had to be taught how to hold a book because they are seeing books for the very first time.



This summer, LitWorld trained over 200 early childhood educators, and these are some of the schools they work in. We are so happy and blessed to introduce the magic of words to children all over the world!



This school will be starting their very own Girls Club, and LitWorld was able to send Kimmie a laptop with a webcam to use for their work. We are excited to (literally) see how it all progresses! You will all be introduced to the girls in Liberia soon enough. Thank you for all you work Kimmie!

10/16: LitWorld Invites You to Our Benefit Concert!

Dear Friends,

We invite you to join an evening of music with us as we put on our benefit concert on October 16th in Brooklyn, New York City. We would love to gather our growing  community to build together and share ideas of how we can all contribute to changing the world, one book at a time!

All of the proceeds will go towards LitWorld's reading and writing programs. We hope to see you there!

Millenium Development Goals Place Importance On Female Empowerment

In its 2000 Millennium Declaration, the United Nations set eight goals for development, called the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These goals set an ambitious agenda for improving the human condition by 2015.

Of the eight, we are happy to see that one of the initiatives target the empowerment of women and the promotion of gender equality. The initiative aims to eliminate the gender disparity in education by the year 2015, giving women all over the world an opportunity to raise their literacy rate, and thus, create empowerment so that women can be self-sufficient and able to care for themselves and their families better.

While literacy is a human right, did you know that two thirds of all the world's illiterate are women? This is an issue that needs urgent attention, as women who are literate and have more education prove to be much more likely to have better personal health and nutrition. Moreover, the families of women with education tend to have better housing, clothing, income, water, and sanitation.

Empowering women through literacy can truly be world changing. It gives us far more reason to spread these Girls Clubs for Literacy throughout the world. Will you help? We welcome you all to join the movement.

LitWorld Girls Club Harlem Will Be Part of Arianna Huffington's Book Tour!

We at LitWorld have some amazing news! Our LitWorld Teen Girls Club for Literacy in Harlem has been selected to be a part of Arianna Huffington's tour for her upcoming book, "Third World America". Thank you to all those who voted to make this incredible event happen!


The Girls Club in Harlem just started this summer, and already we've accomplished an amazing feat by bringing one of the most powerful women in media to speak and inspire our teens. We can't wait to tell you all about it, so stay tuned!



LitWorld Girls Club in Harlem Begins for 3 grade students

Yippee,

The Children's Village has finally kicked off the the girls club in Harlem!  After much anticipation and preparation the girls will now have their voices and thoughts heard along with others around the world.

There aren't enough words or phrases to express my excitement of facilitating the program for girls in our afterschool program.  Going into it, I wasn't confident that my persona as the "drill sergeant" of the program would be able to keep the girls engaged, so I won them over with snacks. Nothing soothes the soul like delicious grapes, stawberries, cookies and juice. The girls loved them.

The girls received composition books that will be used to jot down notes and complete assignments. They came up with ground rules for the group and learned interesting facts about one another.  Some of the interesting facts were Arianna has a dog named "Shayla" and Jayla has a dog named "Seven" the girls will later be quizzed on the things they learned about their peers.

Overall the girls loved the first session and are extremely excited about the future ones. Many remarked that they wanted the program to run two days a week. Ideally, two days a week would be great; however, my schedule doesn't allow for me to run the program at that frequency.

Dear Kibera, Love Harlem

Dear LitWorld Girls Club Kibera,

You've been in our thoughts all summer. Here in NYC, the girls from Harlem have been eager to hear your stories, and they are excited at the possibility of one day meeting you all. In the meantime, they've got a message for all of you, and I am happy to introduce the girls to you!

Stephanie M:

Dear Girls Club Kibera,

Hey girls, my name is Stephanie Marfo and I am 13 years old, the youngest girl in the Harlem Girls Club. Even though I'm only 13, my life is not perfect in the world-famous New York City. By age 11, my dad was sent to a detention center for being an "illegal alien" and by the time I turned 12, he was deported back to Ghana, West Africa.

Ever since I was 11, I became a second mother to my two younger brothers, and a little bit to my older brother too. Plus, I had to juggle school with being a "mom". Of course, I fell behind because I'm busy, but I always catch up on my work because I always have hope.

I always hope that my father will return. I hope one day I will be free, that one day, the government will change, and that's what gets me by day by day. So have hope. I know that life might be harder for you down there, but like Kirk Franklin the Gospel singer said, "You gotta keep your head up because all your dreams are going to come true if you believe in yourself!". Stay strong, because it will help you go on in life. I know it sounds cliche, but its true. Always follow your dream.

Love,

Stephanie

Tiffany C:

Dear LitWorld Kibera,

My name is Tiffany Collins. I am 16 years old and I live with my mother. I have 1 sister and 3 brothers. I am like the second mother in the house but without a full time job. I cook and clean after my siblings. I live in the great big city known as New York. How is LitWorld in Kibera?!?!?

Love,

Tiffany

Aisatou B:

Dear LitWorld Kibera,

My name is Aisatou, and I'm from Africa as well. My mom was born in Guinea and so was I. I was fortunate to be brought to America at the age of seven. I know about the hard times in Africa. I know about the struggle of the people, especially girls like us because men are dominant. I feel for you girls. But through any hard times, I want you all to dream. When you hope and dream, you give yourself a light and something to get you through.

Love,

Aisatou

LitWorld Girls Club Harlem Wraps Up!

This past Tuesday was our last writing session for Girls Club Harlem. The Fall has begun in New York City, and the season is gearing up for new moves: going back to school, taking on new projects, and hitting the books yet again. The weather has cooled down too, a sure sign of a new season at bay.

The girls admit they've changed a lot this summer, cultivating a new appreciation for life, the word, and most of all, each other. These past eight weeks have allowed them to open their eyes to things that they never would have before, meet amazing individuals that they wouldn't typically encounter, and diving into conversations about global issues. For these girls who don't often think of the world outside of Harlem, this Girls Club granted them the ability to carry them halfway around the world, wrapped into discussions with Pam about Africa.

On Tuesday, these girls had these to say about their summer experience with LitWorld:

"Being a part of this group has changed me. It opened me up a lot and showed me how to give writing a chance." -Tiffany Collins

"[LitWorld Girls Club] made me come together with people I usually wouldn't hang out with. Its made me see how strong words can be, how words can move us. And I made a cool friend named Ruby!" -Aisatou Bah

" It helped me understand girls more and learn that I'm not alone. I also became closer to the girls in this program and I could talk more with them than I have ever done with any girl. It's been a great experience working with these girls, and I hope to continue!" - Stephanie Marfo

It has been a gift to work with these young women, future leaders who I am proud to watch grow stronger and more confident each time I see them. Next week, we are going out for our celebratory dinner in Little Italy, and all of us are excited to celebrate the transformation we've all experienced this summer. I will share some photos soon!

Collective Poems by LitWorld Girls Club Harlem

Last week, we had New York City's youth poet laureate Zora Howard come in for a visit, and she helped the girls write collective poems. Here are two of their chose pieces that reflect their current thoughts and emotions, written by each and every girl that attended (with contributions from myself, Jen Estrada, and Zora!)

"Friends"

My anchors, they hold me down strong

When needed they always come along

But when around other people, they act like they don't know

Friends, friends

Or so they say, or so I thought, or so it should have been

You prove that things aren't always what they seem

You become a whole other person I haen't seen

But I know that you know you do this

You're my friend and I'm telling you as a friend to stop and be yourself.

It's you I laugh with until my sides start aching- not this person you are painting.

You have an image that confuses me, is it a truth, or a lie?

When will your true colors come out

Because I can't wait for that day to come when somebody tells you off like me, a friend

True friends are true colors that stick to you,

They show the best inside of you, like a mirror revealing your strength to the world

But they can also bring out the worst, the weakness

"Family Issues"

They are always yelling

About this and about that

Nobody is listening to what I have to say

I am yelling a silenced rebellion

Screaming from the pits of my soul, but they hear nothing but silence

I think of torturous things to do, hoping to get their attention

But they are still my family

And they are still first, in my heart, though it hurts sometimes

A love unshakable and immovable like mountains rooted in Earth

A comfort so deeply needed

I scream, I cry, I plead, and yet, I do not succeed

I surrender from this family

I am taking a step back for myself. Inside of me everything is good, everything is bad, things I embrace, and things I will let go of.

When will I let go and tell you all you need to know

Because that day will hit harder than you'll ever know.

LitWorld Girls Club with Special Guest Phoebe Yeh!

The first thing I hear when I come in the door is Stephanie saying, “Oh man, I’m sad, [Girls Club] is almost over!”

The work we’ve done here at Polo Grounds this summer has given these young women a new spark, a new hunger for learning. It is evident in their eagerness to write, their excitement in coming across new books, and their new appreciation for their word’s power. During these sessions, they have been introduced to powerful role models, and they have a new source of strength and possibility modeled after strong women that they can look up to: Zora Howard, youth poet laureate of New York City, Pam Allyn, executive director of LitWorld, Jen Estrada, special projects leader of LitWorld, and last night, Phoebe Yeh, editorial director of one of the biggest publishing houses, Harper-Collins.

It made me so happy to see the girls eyes grow wide as Phoebe explained what it was like to publish books and bring them to life. Phoebe has worked with famed author Walter Dean Meyers- an author all the girls have read in school- so it was an experience for them to hear firsthand the process of putting these books together. When Phoebe gave out exclusive copies of fresh new books that have yet to hit the shelves, they were so happy and excited to jump in to a new novel that we had to take a moment to decide who was taking which book, and how they were going to share!

Stephanie wants to be a writer. She, like me, is a hopeless romantic. At 13, she is working on a romance novel and writes and reads religiously. Her thirst for literature reminds me of myself at that age, and I hope that she recognizes that her love for the word will take her to places she never even imagined! Aisatou is set to become a lawyer. Strong willed with a conviction that doesn’t falter easily, I know she will get there. How? Because as she read out loud last night, I noticed something different: her voice is coated with a new confidence and presence. Tiffany wants to become a doctor. Sweet and nurturing, she is a perfect person to help heal the world. What she probably doesn’t know is that her ambition is helping to heal her and her community already. Natasha is a leader with a charisma that can make anyone like her. With a vibrant and colorful personality, she has a presence that can lead change. She doesn’t fully recognize how powerful her words are yet, but she will, because they ARE.

Having Phoebe and Pam at our workshop there last night allowed these young women to meet women that can encourage them to dream bigger. Because of these sessions, we are encouraging these young leaders to DARE to dream. I can’t wait to see where their dreams take them. Kenya, one day, maybe?

LITWORLD GIRLS CLUB KIBERA RECEIVE SPECIAL GIFTS!

The last two weeks of our meetings have been expressions of joy . The girls have been marvelling about all the gifts they received from the visiting LitCorps Annie Foley and Jim Allyn. They look at the notebooks, pens and inspirational books with admiration. As we write this article, they want other girls out there to know how grateful and happy they are. All these gifts meant a lot to them especially the laptop!



They all had something to say about the difference this laptop will bring to the club.

Florence: It will help us make new friends and keep in touch easily

Diana:It will enable us to share ideas with other girls in the world and be able to encourage each other

Sharon:It will enable us to know more about other girls and what they are doing in their girls' clubs

Mercy:It was very costly to use the internet in cyber. With this laptop, I can now keep in touch with my friends

Quinter:I will be able to easily reach teacher Pam. I will also learn to use a computer.

Specioza: I will be able to keep my secrets!



Asante sana to LitWorld!

An Amazing Evening at Hue-Man Bookstore

Hue-Man Bookstore, Harlem, NYC

I relearned what passion meant this evening. In the midst of an unnerving battle inside, something broke light- a peace treaty that offered a hope of salvation: tonight, my girls reminded me of the reason why I fell in love with the word.

Tonight, during our trip to the Hue-Man bookstore in Harlem, the girls collectively wrote poems. New York's youth poet laureate, Zora Howard, was our special guest this evening, and she joined us all in on a writing exercise that challenged us to write one line after another, adding a piece of ourselves to create what would be one collective piece. She started us off with four blank pages with one topic written above each: broken promises, friendship, family issues, and breakups.



We started it with one line, then passed it on. Each time we passed the paper, we folded it over so that only one line was visible. By adding just one line each, the girls witnessed the magic of a seemingly disjointed and scattered process eventually bloom into an overflowing expression of thought and emotion.



As I write this, I recognize that this poem process gives me a perfect metaphor for life: all these scattered pieces, broken and seemingly jagged, eventually come together to make its own unexpected masterpiece.

Zora not only facilitated the writing process, but shared a piece of poetry with the girls:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdK7ORYuJcA]

I felt so proud to watch the emerging excitement they exclaimed while watching her. I witnessed a spark light up inside all of them, the wonder and magic of seeing a reflection of their beauty unfold in such a powerful voice, by someone who shared their experience. Someone who they can relate to and aspire to be. Growing up in a neighborhood where they watch their peers become mothers prematurely, and where they too often watch others make bad choices, knowing Zora was college-bound was something that resonated a new kind of motivation within them. Zora, who like them, was raised in Harlem, was attending Yale University in ten days. With their mouths agape in awe, I was reminded of that feeling that comes when inspiration hits you in a way that you will remember for years to come. The time when inspiration transforms you, and when inspiration becomes passion and passion becomes salvation.

Salvation. It is with these words that save us all. Loaded with truth and hope, it becomes weapon, shield, growth, destruction, and rebuilding all at once. It is with these words that these young women from Harlem will know and learn how to carry their unending source of power. Tonight, these young women found their power and salvation. And through them, I rediscovered mine.

I am confident, more than ever, that through these Girls Clubs, we are transforming the world.

LitWorld Girls Club Day 3

With summertime and energy filled teens, there's never a dull moment at Polo Grounds. Pizza snacks are on hand, and chatter slowly fills the room as the girls walk in. Fifteen minutes later, and it's full blown girl time, with giddy giggles fluttering like hummingbirds inside our classroom. Everyone is laughing and catching up with each other, exchanging exciting pieces of news from the week prior: someone bought a new dress, another had an adventurous day at the Children's Village, and another had a meal outside the ordinary. We've all become friends now, so all of this chatter is just as necessary to our sessions as our writing exercises. (I'm happy about that.)

Last week, I sent the girls home with a writing assignment to re-tell a life defining moment in their lives. Some of them brought their stories in, and some had yet to begin. Some were almost convinced they didn't have a story to tell, and I asked them to take a moment to dig deeper. My request was met with some discouraged sighing, but gladly, nothing a few jokes couldn't cajole. Brainstorming was coupled with a chatter that can't be contained (these are teenage girls, after all) but I was satisfied in knowing that they are writing and trying.

Some of the girls felt concerned that their stories are too personal, too "deep", too honest. I assured them that in this way, being a writer can be hard, mostly because you offer a piece of your story to share to the everyone, and offer a vulnerability that you may not even know existed. I assured them that they only need to write about what their comfortable with, but to know that their honesty and their story are valuable- you never know who can read it and feel the exact same way.

We talked about the difference between "showing" a story versus "telling" a story, and asked them to recall what metaphors and similes can do to a piece of writing. After a few visits "in my office" (my corner of the room), I was able to chat with the girls and give them individual attention and advice to make their writing paint pictures with descriptive language. Their drafts are getting better, and I hope we can have a few to post on the blog soon!

Coming to spaces like these is the reason why I'm always going to feel young. I still feel like a teenager, talking about fashion with the girls, giggling uncontrollably, and playing both Drake and Stevie Wonder in my iTunes as they write. They might make a few jokes about their mom being the only person they know playing Stevie Wonder, but even they can't deny that this is classic.

Some things just don't get old. Like being a teenager, loving music, loving love, and loving the discovery of owning our words. That, will always be a wonder to me.

LitWorld Girls Club Day Two



Yesterday was our second day trekking up to the Polo Grounds for another breakthrough workshop for the LitWorld Teen Girls Club, and Lauren and I arrived with colorful index cards emblazoned with powerful quotes! Staying true to LitWorld's mission to create "words that change worlds", last night's workshop further instilled each young woman's ability to harness the power of a positive voice.

The girls came in fluttering with excited chatter, and upon overhearing conversations about how disappointed they can be with their neighborhood and environment, I jumped in to ask what good and positive things they can find there. Immediately, they replied by saying, "Nothing's good here, I wouldn't even invite my friends up here. Everyone knows this neighborhood is bad." I smiled and said, "But this is space is good, right? This Girls Club? This space we are creating for each other, this is positive, no?" They smiled meekly and shyly agreed. I reminded them that if we don't see what we like, we all have the power to draw from ourselves and help to empower each other. No matter how small, our intentions and our strengths are bigger and stronger than we know. I think that little by little, they are beginning to believe this more and more.

After our opening check-ins, I asked the girls to get on their feet. I divided the room into three sections: YES, NO, and MAYBE. I instructed the girls to go to the part of the room they felt they belonged to after I read some statements out loud. The statements went something like this:

I have a woman I look up to.

I have a lot of girl friends and get along well with other girls.

I have a story worth telling.

I want to change the world, and I have goals and dreams.

After the girls went to their respective corners of the room, we had mini discussions. Some of them responded that they don't have many girl friends because girls can be "catty" or tend to talk negatively about other girls. I reminded them of one of our seven strengths, "Sisterhood", and asked for them to remember that as women, we should continue supporting, empowering, and uplifting each other, because all in all, we are in this movement together. I saw a nod of agreement come from each of them, and they looked at each other and smiled. I felt proud to watch them trust each other more and more.

What I love most about these young women is their energy, excitement, and enthusiasm for books, words, and reading. We laugh often, make jokes, and get serious when it's time. We made a list of books they loved, and it was a frenzy: they loved so many of them, including Judy Blume (gosh, she never gets old, does she? :) )

Our next activity used our powerful quotes cards. I had the girls pass the cards around and identify which quote spoke to them most. They exclaimed with excitement when they found "the one". Tiffany was moved by a quote from Nelson Mandela, Mandy gravitated toward one by Reverend Run, and Zena was drawn to one by Dr. Seuss. They wrote a reflection in their journals about why this quote is one they live by, and shared. They are such powerful young women backed with a strength they don't even (fully) know yet.

Our next activity was more writing, but since it was getting late and I wanted them to spend more time on it, I sent them home with their journals to work on their personal stories based on a significant, life defining moment in their life. Next week, we are doing editing workshops and decorating their journals with a collage theme based on this question: What kind of woman do I want to grow to be?

I can't wait for next week. As always, I will keep you posted. Pictures to come soon!

Kibera Girls Club: Knitting Madness!




The newly formed LitWorld Girl's Club has been going strong!



Facilitators 'Teacher' Rose, Joscelyn Truitt, and Jackie Espana have enjoyed guiding and spending time with the girls. So far, the club has played many games to create a comfortable and trusting environment, talked about menstruation, sanitary pads, and changing bodies, the seriousness of sexual harassment, abuse, and rape and how we can protect ourselves and support each other, how to write our own stories, and most recently the valuable skill of knitting.



The girls were thrilled to hear that they received their own Girl's Club knitting needles and yarn, donated by avid and talented knitter, Joyce Zimmerman, the grandmother of Jackie Espana. The girls have discussed what knitting can give us, relaxation, a skill we can keep with us our whole life to make our own clothes, and a trade we can use to earn money. So far they have learned how to "cast on" their first row of stitches and how to do the basic knitting stitch. Every girl is making their own square as their first project. We can wait to post their final pieces!

First Day of LitWorld Girls Club in Harlem

Hello everyone! This is Ruby, one of LitWorld's newest team members. Over the past few months, I’ve been granted the honor of developing the first Girls Club Teen program in New York City for LitWorld. With the help of longtime LitWorld veteran Jen Estrada, we put together a young women’s reading, writing, and empowerment program for the Polo Grounds Center in Harlem. I’ve been so excited to help launch it, and happy the day had finally arrived!

Last Tuesday was our first day, and I couldn’t be happier to say it unfolded beautifully. With the help of LitWorld intern Lauren, we painted a poster for our summer “clubhouse” that displayed the seven strengths that the Girls Clubs are themed around: Belonging, Compassion, Esteem, Friendship/Sisterhood, Self-Respect, Curiosity, and Hope.

Every young woman that entered the room had a smile and a personality as bright and colorful as our poster. They embraced the idea of sisterhood immediately, and their enthusiasm for writing, reading, and most of all, their potential to harness their powers of being women uplifted me in a way I didn’t know I needed. Leading workshops like these are funny that way. My students never fail to teach me, to move me. In truth, they are my teachers, and I can’t wait to see what I’ll learn from them.

From our icebreakers to our first free write, I was inspired by their energy, the playful fire inside all of them. Loud or soft spoken, I can sense their potential to transform themselves, each other, and the world. Imagine my delight when our youngest and shyest of the group, 12 year old Michelle, volunteered to read her free write in front of the whole class, and had her older counterparts encourage her to feel brave enough to speak up. Witnessing that gave me all the joy I could ask for. And imagine, it’s only day one.

I can’t wait to share what’s to come. This is only the beginning… =)

Self-Confidence and Fruit Pops Make Goodbyes a Little Easier

Summer in New York City has just begun, but with every new beginning what was before comes to an end.

Our first LitWorld Girls Club in NYC had its final session before summer vacation today. The workshop flew by, though it was no shorter than any other lunch time session at Girls Prep. Our superwoman intern, Madison, came up with the amazing idea to have the girls write each other "self-confidence poems."

Each girl wrote her name at the top of a sheet of brightly colored paper. Then we passed them around and each girl wrote one positive thing about the girl whose name was at the top of the paper. We kept passing the poems around the circle until each girl had a paper with her own name on it and a beautiful "poem" listing all the things that make her special to her clubmates.

The girls loved giving compliments to their friends as much as they enjoyed reading their poems at the end. And of course the fruit pops we passed around at the end were a big hit!

When I reminded them that this was our last session before summer vacation, their little faces fell. But of course, they reminded me, it wasn't goodbye it was only see you later. We'll be back in action in just two short months!

Until then, I'll miss the girls but I know they're cherishing the lessons and experiences we had together, and so am I!

A Message from Our Sisters in Kenya

Kibera like any other slum in the world harbours people of questionable characters. The life of a girl child is at risk here. Despite these girls having one or no parent at all and living at the mercies of well-wishes, they also have no deal with the risk of defilement and rape. They also have no idea what their rights are as children.

It is for this reasons that Pam Allyn, the founder of the Litworld came up with the idea of staring this club to help the girls realize that their place isn’t just in the kitchen. That they can brave all challenges and change this stereotyping.




Pilot girls from Red-rose Children Centre embraced this club and their wish to get to know what other girls around Kibera go through made us include girl s from other schools. The club whose operation commenced on 9th of April 2010 has so far had girls open up to talk about their personal life and experience.


Our first session was about “self awareness." Girl drew and made pictures of themselves and listed things they like and don’t like about themselves.

This was followed by a series of sessions on how to deal with anger and sexual abuse. On sexual abuse we talked to girls on what they should do in case of this, we also got a Children of KiberaFoundation Scholar, Abiba to talk about her journey to gaining a scholarship and the challenges she faced as a girl.


As the saying goes idle mind is a devil’s workshop. This is also to ensure that our girls are not idle. To end this one month’s journey, we took them to Nairobi Arboretum as an outdoor mental and physical activity. They sure had fun.



Our next sessions to be held on 8th and 10th May 2010 will be about health and sanitation. Everyone out there are welcomed to share with the girls.

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