Emerson Literacy is Changing Lives

It's a time of a lot of need, we know, but there is one need right here in North Oakland that is oh-so-deserving.

There's been a lot in the news lately about how schools are not always serving the literacy needs of our most under-privileged students. We are changing lives by challenging that narrative at Emerson.


Emerson Elementary does an amazing job educating the "whole child" with a population that is 75% kids on free and reduced lunch. Due to district budget cuts, we've lost our usual source of funding for the school librarian next year.

Our 300+ kids benefit so much from a library stocked with awesome books (many featuring great social change themes and characters of color) and an experienced librarian whose reading hours with the kids help relieve the teachers, giving them some time to plan and breathe.


During her four years at Emerson, our librarian has more than quadrupled the number of books circulated at our library! She takes the time to get to know individual kids and recommend books they are excited to read. She collects and distributes free books to our kids. When he found out we don't have school district funds to keep her next year, one of our second grade boys starting crying.

If this speaks to you, please donate today, or on May 5, #GivingTuesdayNow. We have lost $17,000 in anticipated revenue due to COVID-19 cancellations (see May 3 Update for details). All donations are tax-deductible. Any amount will be meaningful.


For more details about the Emerson librarian we are trying to keep, please see this Emerson Library Report Fall 2019