Oakland Literacy Coalition

08/22/2026

In “What Will It Take to Build a Literacy Movement?,” Sanam Jorjani of Oakland Literacy Coalition and Yolie Flores of Families In Schools will explore how bold policy, family leadership, and grassroots action are coming together across California to transform early literacy.

Why does this conversation matter?

“Reading outcomes don't change through policy alone,” said Sanam Jorjani. “They change when communities make reading a shared priority and build the collective power to make that change last.”

“Every child deserves the opportunity to read, learn, and thrive,” said Yolie Flores. “But creating that future won’t happen in isolation—it takes an entire community, working together to build an ecosystem where literacy becomes everyone’s responsibility.”

🗳️ Your vote counts! Help us get to SXSW: bit.ly/literacy-movement-sxsw

HOW TO VOTE:
1. Register for a free SXSW account using your first name, last name, email address, and a created password. 📝
2. Check your email for a message to confirm your account. 📧
3. Click the heart icon on the fireside chat page to vote for us; leave a comment to show your support or ask a question. ❤️

08/22/2026

Please take a second to vote for our session!

08/22/2026

08/22/2026

Only THREE DAYS left—vote for our SXSW EDU Fireside Chat before voting closes this Sunday!

In “What Will It Take to Build a Literacy Movement?,” Sanam Jorjani of Oakland Literacy Coalition and Yolie Flores of Families In Schools will explore how bold policy, family leadership, and grassroots action are coming together across California to transform early literacy.

Why does this conversation matter?

“Reading outcomes don't change through policy alone,” said Sanam Jorjani. “They change when communities make reading a shared priority and build the collective power to make that change last.”

“Every child deserves the opportunity to read, learn, and thrive,” said Yolie Flores. “But creating that future won’t happen in isolation—it takes an entire community, working together to build an ecosystem where literacy becomes everyone’s responsibility.”

🗳️ Your vote counts! Help us get to SXSW: bit.ly/literacy-movement-sxsw

HOW TO VOTE:
1. Register for a free SXSW account using your first name, last name, email address, and a created password. 📝
2. Check your email for a message to confirm your account. 📧
3. Click the heart icon on the fireside chat page to vote for us; leave a comment to show your support or ask a question. ❤️

08/13/2026

Last call: proposals close tomorrow - https://mailchi.mp/oaklandliteracycoalition/lj4all-rfp-5865414
www.LiteracyandJusticeForAll.org/call-for-proposals

08/11/2026

Summer is almost over, school is starting back up. Savor the last days of summer with one of these great summer reads!

You can find read-aloud guides for each of these titles here: https://www.oaklandreads.org/readingtown

08/06/2026

Help us get to SXSW EDU!

We're excited to share that our Fireside Chat, "What Will It Take to Build a Literacy Movement?," has been selected for public voting at SXSW EDU.

Join Yolie Flores, President & CEO of Families In Schools, and Sanam Jorjani, Executive Director of Oakland Literacy Coalition, as they explore how bold policy, family leadership, and grassroots action are coming together across California to transform early literacy. Together, we'll discuss what it takes to build an ecosystem where educators, families, community organizations, and civic leaders all share responsibility for ensuring every child learns to read.

🗳️ Your vote can help bring this conversation to the SXSW EDU stage. Thank you for your support: bit.ly/literacy-movement-sxsw

08/05/2026

Proposals are due Aug 14! We’ve had a great response and are seeking additional sessions focused on ECE or secondary readers, as well as district, county, school case studies