
Newsroom

2020 New Board Members
Literacy Connects Announces Addition to Board of Directors TUCSON, AZ—(Literacy Connects) Welcomes the appointment of four new members to the organizations’ board of directors, effective July 1, 2020. Joining the board are Dr. Soungeon (Sunny) Bae, Dr. Amy Beiter, Jessica Ell, and Susan Petrus. “Literacy Connects is very excited that
Turning A New Chapter
Dear Friends, It is with very mixed emotions that I announce my decision to retire in January 2021. I have loved my work as a literacy champion here in Tucson, but the truth is I am well into my “golden years,” and it is time to pass on the reins
Official COVID-19 Statement
The Literacy Connects offices are currently open from 9:00-5:00, Monday-Friday. Please note that staff are working on a staggered schedule, so you will need to plan a visit with whomever you need to see. Masks are currently required for everyone on campus. Thank you for helping to keep our community

Voices of Literacy Connects: August/ September 2019
The Movies in Our Minds When we read and think at the same time, we make a movie in our minds. It helps us remember the story. If the movie stops in our brains, we may have forgotten something in the story, or possibly there’s missing information because the story

Voices of Literacy Connects – June 2019
Students visit Habitat for Humanity complex Students in the picture are from the Literacy Connects Writing Workshop. They are asking questions about the nine houses that are being built by Habitat for Humanity on Yavapai Road next to Literacy Connects. They visited on May 28. They went there to learn

Voices of Literacy Connects Jan/Feb 2019
For adult literacy week, Literacy Connects students submitted their writing to practice their new skills and share a part of themselves with the community. Three prizes were awarded to Adan Pichardo, Rihana Ibrahim, and Ana Lopez Rojas Adan Pichardo, Beginning English Language student at Martha Cooper “I like to

Voices of Literacy Connects, Nov / Dec 2018
Once upon a time, there were three students, Francisca, Rania, Gloria, who went to the Tucson Museum of Art. They met three docents, leader teachers at the museum. Two of them worked at the University of Arizona. They showed us many pictures and explained them to us. We saw pink

Eduardo Rodriguez
Eduardo Rodriguez was born and raised in Tucson. He graduated from Tucson High School in 2005. Eduardo has been struggling with reading and writing since he was a kid. In school, he had both mainstream and special education classes where he got extra help, but he still graduated without the

Our Approach to Power and Privilege
Why is Power and Privilege part of the conversation at a nonprofit focused on literacy and creative expression? Our approach to working with students is built to address some of the issues around Power and Privilege. While we don’t directly refer to power or privilege with students or volunteers, we

Being Connected
Literacy “Connects”. There is intent behind the name. While our daily activities focus on reading, writing, math, conversational English, creative expression and GED preparation, ultimately one of the greatest things our students achieve is a feeling of connection to our community. We know that literacy and education is like a
Batsiemisa ‘Prisca’ Bikumunu
Batsiemisa “Prisca” Bikumunu arrived in Tucson in December of 2015 as a refugee from Congo. She left behind her family including a brother and sister. She arrived in Tucson alone. There were no friends or family to welcome her. She did not speak English. Her first language is French but

Truly Community Based
Literacy Connects is unique in many ways. What may be surprising is that Literacy Connects, unlike many nonprofits of similar size, is not federally or state funded. The decision to operate free of government restrictions dates back to before the 2011 merger. The decision was made to offer services independent