First in 47
The Kalamazoo Promise’s Director of Community Collaboration, Cyekeia Lee, has been appointed as President of the Kalamazoo Literacy Council Board of Directors. This term represents a landmark in the agency's history, as she is the first African-American woman to hold the position in the organization's 47-year history. In honor of this achievement, Cyekeia launched the "47 Campaign" where she is inviting gifts of $47 to the KLC's 2021 Annual Campaign.
The Everyone Needs To Read Adult Literacy Initiative celebrates the resilience of KLC’s learners and volunteer tutors who have persevered through various challenges to make sure learning always continues. Every donation ensures KLC can continue to provide free basic literacy skills so adults who struggle to read can reach their full potential. KLC serves native English speakers and English language learners through their Virtual Learning Center and Read and Seed outdoor classroom.
Cyekeia's appointment is also reflected by a strengthening of multigenerational learning initiatives at the KLC. According to ProLiteracy, children of adults with low literacy skills are 72% more likely to be at a low reading level in school. KLC’s Parent Literacy Together program empowers parents to become better "first teachers'' of their children through literacy activities that encourage families to have fun learning together. Sessions are led by trained family literacy experts and include activities that support both adults and children simultaneously. This strategy provides families with opportunities to further their physical and mental health, and increase economic well-being and overall stability. Key program partners include The Kalamazoo Promise, Great Start Collaborative of Kalamazoo County, Talking is Teaching, Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo, Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Michigan, and the McGinnis Reading Center and Clinic at Western Michigan University.
Research also shows parents with low literacy skills tend to have low digital literacy skills, which is made more of a struggle when trying to juggle parenting, working, and teaching during a pandemic. Many students are in homes without adequate technology or access to the internet so there is a growing need to address the digital divide for parents, to help them more capably support their households and guide the family's education. Through the Laptop Loaning Program, the KLC provides free computers and hot spots and our navigators work tirelessly to remove barriers to learning.
KLC welcomes Cyekeia's perspective and vision for the organization's legacy, as it relates to Parent Literacy and multigenerational learning and for greater representation of volunteers at the neighborhood level (Edison, Northside, and Eastside). Cyekeia is often quoted as saying “Nothing about us without us,” so it’s imperative that the appropriate voices are heard and individuals can see themselves reflected in the instruction services they receive.
For more about Parent Literacy Together or how you can get involved in volunteer tutor service with the KLC, please email kjumanne-marshall@kalamazooliteracy.org or visit kalamazooliteracy.org.
Cyekeia Lee currently serves as the Director of Community Collaboration for The Kalamazoo Promise. In this role she works with community partners to identify and reduce educational disparities that impact students in Kalamazoo. Over the last 15 years her passion to eliminate barriers for students has included serving in various education roles. Prior to joining The Kalamazoo Promise she served as the Executive Director of The Learning Network of Greater Kalamazoo, where she worked with nine school districts in Kalamazoo County on cradle to career initiatives. Additionally, she served as the Director of Higher Education Initiatives for the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) where she worked with 23 states to implement postsecondary education pathways for students experiencing homelessness. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Eastern Michigan University, and a Master’s degree in Counseling from Wayne State University.
