FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 22, 2025 New York City Mayoral Candidates Affirm Literacy as a Civil Right at Forum NEW YORK, NY – Today, New York City mayoral candidates laid out their plans to make literacy a top priority, calling it a fundamental civil right and a gateway to lifelong opportunity. Hosted by Advocates for Children of New York, EdTrust–New York, ExpandED Schools, Educators for Excellence, Literacy in Community (LINC), the Literacy Academy Collective, and the Windward School, the virtual forum brought the city’s urgent literacy crisis to the forefront of the 2025 mayoral race. Meisha Porter, former Chancellor of NYC…

Emmy-nominated storyteller. Artist. Director. Visionary. World-class content creator. Entertainer. Proud Venezuelan. Entrepreneur. Bilingual mom. Creative force. On a mission to enchant and inspire children with a world of culture.  Susie Jaramillo, co-founder of Encantos, is all of these things and more! We are honored and excited to present her with the Champion for Children Award at the LINC Gala on May 19th. To the LINC organization, she is a steadfast ally, a fearless advocate, and a true partner. Susie has generously shared the stories of Canticos, along with her time and talents, at many LINC gatherings including high-profile, signature events…

Join LINC and other leading early literacy advocates across the city in hearing how mayoral candidates would prioritize education equity. This is the time to insist on bold leadership acknowledging literacy as a civil right. Register Now! Education equity starts with children’s access to quality early education. Early literacy programming is the most effective tool we have to improve overall educational achievement, which is essential to our economy, our democracy and the creation of a more equitable society. It is critical that our next mayor make reading a civil right. – Shari Levine, Executive Director, LINC Your voice matters. Register now!

City’s First Readers was pleased to join the Women’s Caucus of the New York City Council on the steps of City Hall to advocate for the FY26 city budget. The Caucus has identified childcare and early education as one of its top four budget priorities. LINC, as the facilitating partner and designated representative of City’s First Readers, joined caucus Co-Chair Carmen de La Rosa, and members Rita Joseph, Amanda Farias, Brooks-Powers, Sandy Nurse, Sandra Ung, Lynn Shulman, and Fara Lewis in speaking to the importance of early childhood programming in supporting healthy brain development, emotional stability and setting the stage…

Don’t miss our Growing Little Readers events in gardens around NYC. Join us to learn, play, and win prizes. It’s free! City’s First Readers is bringing early literacy outdoors! This FREE program offers toddlers and their families a chance to explore nature while developing essential early learning skills. Through interactive activities, children will discover the joys of reading and playful exploration—all set in the beauty of gardens. Join City’s First Readers for a fun-filled experience that nurtures a love of books and nature at the same time! Find details and register for free below. The Met Cloisters in Manhattan April…

Campaign celebrates diverse representation and inclusion in children’s literature NEW YORK, NY, April 2, 2025 – Literacy in Community (LINC), an early childhood literacy nonprofit, and Fidelis Care, a New York State health plan, announced the fifth year of their collaborative Diversity Through Literacy campaign. Started in 2021, Diversity Through Literacy is an annual campaign recognizing the power of children’s literature to celebrate diversity in all forms by sharing many voices, embracing unique perspectives, honoring different cultures, and more.  April is National Celebrate Diversity Month and seven separate LINC events are being held across New York City. The goal is to…

As you may have seen in recent headlines, the results of the 2024 Nation’s Report Card are deeply concerning.  The data paints a sobering picture of the state of education in our country, with reading proficiency scores plummeting to levels not seen in decades. It also reveals a stark disparity based on socioeconomic status: just 34% of fourth-graders from the lowest income group are reading above the national average, compared to 77% of their wealthier peers. These alarming statistics underscore the urgency of the work we are doing together. We know that early childhood literacy programs are an efficient and effective way to interrupt inequality in…

LINC is proud to be an official charity partner of the TCS New York City Marathon for the third year in a row! Our programs run in all five boroughs of NYC – just like the marathon. Run with Team LINC and your steps will fund book distributions and reading programs in high-need neighborhoods across New York City. All Team LINC athletes receive: All Team LINC athletes will: If you need additional information or have specific questions, please reach out to Kathleen Dorman at kdorman@lincnyc.org.

Last week, members of the LINC Team donned their tee-shirts and headed to Albany to advocate for the creation of a line item in the state budget dedicated to early literacy. There are millions allocated for adult literacy, but shockingly, there is nothing specific to early childhood literacy. They stood on the Million Dollar staircase, joined by Assemblymembers Manny De Los Santos and Al Taylor. They knocked on doors and buttonholed Senators and Assemblymembers outside of legislative chambers. They climbed up and down many, many staircases and walked the corridors of the Legislative Office Building – some 18,000 steps according…

Dear City’s First Readers Partners, Staff, and Communities, From our inception, City’s First Readers has been unwavering in our commitment to supporting all families—because every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. We work hand in hand with caregivers to create environments where young children feel safe, valued, and supported in their development. Strong families and strong communities are the foundation of a brighter future, and we are dedicated to fostering these connections in every form. At the heart of our work is the belief that literacy is more than reading—it is also about building trust, strengthening relationships,…

This past weekend, advocates for early childhood literacy across the State of New York joined forces in Albany to empower and educate communities of color and bring their bold visions to life at the 54th annual New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislators (NYSABPRHAL). LINC was there, actively galvanizing support for early literacy programs. LINC’s goal was to inspire attendees to join the movement for a New York where every family has the opportunity to access early literacy programs that will prepare children to be eager and ready to read when they start school.   On…

At Literacy in Community (LINC), we believe in a strong start and we were thrilled to offer a unique professional development opportunity to our Reads colleagues at the beginning of the new year. Reads schools and early learning centers across all three Reads’ neighborhoods: East Harlem, South Jamaica, and East New York were invited to Weaving it all Together: Using the Reading Rope to Drive Joyful Family Engagement in Literacy. The workshop included four sessions on January 6,13, 27, and February 3, led by LINC’s Chief Program Officer, Laura Walsh and Director of Early Literacy, Josh Barocas, and centered on play-based…

Literacy in Community (LINC) is pleased to announce that two of our team members will be speaking at the 54th Annual International Bilingual Education Conference in Atlanta, GA from February 19-22, 2025. This year’s conference, Multilingualism for a United Global Society is a timely topic.  Literacy in Community (LINC) is pleased to announce that LINC’s Director of Early Literacy, Josh Barocas and Senior Manager of Early Literacy, Allison Zambito will be presenting at the 54th Annual International Bilingual Education Conference in Atlanta, GA from February 19-22, 2025.  Organized by the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), this year’s theme is Multilingualism for…

The literacy crisis in New York demands immediate and bold action, and at LINC we envision a future where literacy knows no limits. On Saturday, February 15, Literacy in Community (LINC) will join the passionate elected officials, business leaders, advocates, and community members who are dedicated to empowering and educating communities of color at the 54th Annual New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislators (NYSABPRL) Conference in Albany, NY. With the support of Assemblymembers, George Alvarez and Manny De Los Santos, Literacy Without Limits: A Bold Vision for Early Childhood Education will be moderated by SBH…

Literacy in Community (LINC) is pleased to present a series of three workshops that will provide partners with a deeper understanding of childhood trauma and the developmental impacts on young children. This training will help partners understand risk and protective factors and ways to better support families exposed to traumatic events. These workshops are facilitated by The Bowen Center’s Project Launch, an initiative that aims to expand service capacity, training and coordination of behavioral health and wrap-around services to promote early childhood well-being in its clinic as well as in other sites that serve children. Trauma & Immigration Virtual –…

Save the date! This January, Literacy in Community (LINC) will offer a professional development opportunity for those who work in Reads Schools and early learning centers across Reads’ three neighborhoods: East Harlem, South Jamaica, and East New York. It’s called Weaving it all Together: Using the Reading Rope to Drive Joyful Family Engagement in Literacy and focuses on play-based learning and family engagement powered by the science of reading. The workshop begins on Monday, January 6, and will have four sessions on January 6,13, 27 and February 3 which will take place at 2:30pm. Educators will build their knowledge of…

The holiday season wouldn’t be complete without a literacy celebration that includes everyone, and in Staten Island, Home Depot is helping LINC build little learners. On Wednesday, December 18, LINC held a winter stories program at P.S. 18 in West Brighton with the generous support of the Home Depot, located at 545 Targee Street. Home Depot donated kits, hammers, and aprons so that our young readers could craft their own holiday ornaments.  Families read Happy All-idays by Cindy Jin, a holiday card-inspired board book that captures the meaning of Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and more, exploring holiday traditions around the world. The program…