Embrace the Power of Reading: How St. Louis is Changing the Game with Black Men at the Forefront. Ready Readers, Black Men Read, and The Believe Projects are on a mission to energize literacy efforts throughout St. Louis.
The three organizations unveiled two literacy posters on Aug. 15, at HeyDays HQ. The portraits are of 25 St. Louis-area Black men proudly reading. The design of the posters is inspired by vintage READ posters created by the American Library Association. The literacy initiative hopes to ignite joy, promote literacy, and amplify the presence of Black men reading and Black men reading to the kid(s) in their lives. The posters also aim to increase authentic
representation of Black men as critical caregivers, especially in early childhood classrooms.
The combined efforts of Ready Readers, Black Men Read, and the Believe Project will reach more than 20,000 kids throughout the region, including more than 1,000 early
childhood classrooms and community spaces just in time for the new school year.
“Our children are facing a literacy crisis,” said Keyon Watkins, co-founder of the non-profit Black Men Read organization. Data shows from 2022-2023 81 percent of Black third-graders in the St. Louis metro area failed in reading. “Our children need to have an image to aspire to,” said Julius B. Anthony talking about the posters. Anthony is the founder of the Believe Projects.
Anthony added, “Diverse representation in books and educational environments helps children show up fiercely and fully.”
“When adults show an interest in books and reading, children’s interest grows too,” said Angela Sears Spittal, executive director of Ready Readers. “We hope these posters will inspire children and be an everyday example of the joy and power of reading.”
Erin Silva Fisher, Marketing Coordinator for Ready Readers, said the three organizations have been working hard for the last couple of months “to make this all possible. “The goal of the project is to reach as many children as possible,” Silva Fisher said. “To connect them with the joy and power of reading.”
Ready Readers will pack and distribute the posters for their first book distribution in September. The literacy package will have an invitation for educators to hang the posters to encourage and remind students of the joys of reading. “The enthusiasm on the faces of the men on the posters is absolutely contagious,” Silva Fisher said. The posters utilize Black men to show kids they are also invested in their literary journey.
“We are using representation to promote literacy,” said Watkins. He believes when kids are encouraged by adults who look like them to read it inspires them to do the same thing. Watkins wants kids to feel empowered when they see the posters at school or local centers, he visualizes kids seeing the posters and thinking “Hey that could be me.”
The initiative started from a serendipitous encounter between Silva Fisher and Watkins at a literacy community event. Silva Fisher shared an idea with Watkins upon learning about his organization Black Men Read, which immediately reminded her of the vintage READ posters at the libraries. She told him about the idea and he said, “Let’s collaborate.”
“The initiative is a testament to when organizations come together to support each other it amplifies our impact,” said Watkins. Watkins said it is unfortunate that some kids in the region are affected by book deserts. Anthony, sharing the same sentiments, said, “We all have a role to play in helping our children learn to read, to read, to learn.”
Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.
Absolutely LOVE this project. As a retired high school reading teacher, I encourage distributing in high schools. Our young men need positive images all around them and on a daily basis of men nurturing and supporting education.