By Jacinda Hall
The Wichita Journalism Collaborative will host a Literacy News Fair on Aug. 8 at the Alford Library Branch, providing the community with an opportunity to connect with local news and information organizations and agencies that offer literacy resources.
After hearing feedback from community members through surveys and learning that people of all ages need resources for reading and literacy, the collaborative decided to make adult literacy its next focus, following its Priced Out work on affordable housing and homelessness.
The fair, which is a come-and-go tabling event, is one of the first events the collaborative will host as part of the transition to the new topic. At the event, there will be food provided by Bill’s Charcoal Grill, free bilingual books, and drawings for backpacks and school supplies.
The fair came about as an idea from Planeta Venus editor-in-chief Claudia Amaro and is funded through a grant from the Kansas Health Foundation.
Amaro not only saw this as an opportunity to launch the new topic on literacy, but also an opportunity to engage the Latino community and other diverse communities in the south side of the city.
“I feel like for the Latino community, that’s a topic that is very important, and is not taught a lot,” Amaro said. “Many people, many families, especially adults, focus on just work, and forget about reading.”
Everyone is invited to attend the event because it’s an opportunity to create more awareness and support residents with the topic of literacy. The 11 collaborative partners also will be there to connect with people, tell them about their work, and answer questions.
Through the literacy news fair, Amaro wants to make sure that the collaborative can create a bridge between residents and all the available resources, including organizations such as NexStep Alliance, Kansas Urban League and KANSEL, Phillips Fundamental Learning Center, Alce Su Voz, Greater Wichita YMCA, IDEAS (Increasing Dual Enrollment Access and Success), and TRIO Student Support Services.
The Wichita Public Library, a collaborative partner, will have a table at the event to promote its “Reading Basics for Adults” program.
According to Steven Kelly, the library’s adult literacy manager, the program is something he developed to raise awareness about literacy struggles in Wichita, as well as provide an opportunity to let people know that the library is there for them.
“We have reading materials for people of all reading levels and ages,” Kelly said. “But also to let them know that there are some resources a library has that can help them improve their reading.”
According to Kelly, the program has been offered quarterly since the summer of last year, but starting this fall, the program will be offered monthly.
Kelly says that he wants people who are attending the fair to know that they are not alone.
“There’s a community of people who they can relate to, and the literacy fair itself is geared toward all ages. It’s not just adults,” Kelly said. “It’s pretty relevant if you’re an adult and you have children in your life who are trying to learn how to read and if you’re struggling with reading … you can kind of come together.”
Everyone is invited to attend the event on Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Alford Branch Library, 3447 S Meridian Ave, Wichita, KS, 67217. The come-and-go event is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Jacinda Hall is a Wichita writer. She’s a graduate of Wichita State University and was the collaborative’s Summer 2024 intern.