Esperance Mukeshayezu and Carol Pratt meet three days a week for an hour and a half at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Portage. Mukeshayezu escaped genocide in Rwanda and Pratt, a volunteer tutor at the Kalamazoo Literacy Council, helps her improve her English skills.
Dr. Edward Montgomery will formally announce the partnership during his welcome address at the 2021 Adult Literacy Research and Training Symposium from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10, at the Fetzer Center and online. This free, annual symposium, “Fostering Leadership and Equity Through Adult Literacy,” facilitates cooperation between the academic research of best practices in adult literacy and community-based application of this knowledge.
The Mard Little Award for Adult Learner Excellence is presented to KLC learners who have persevered through obstacles along their literacy journey to reach their academic and personal goals.
Rodney is a KLC learner who recently came back into service. Originally from St. Louis, he’s been in the Kalamazoo area for 20 years. Growing up in a family of 10, Rodney’s early path in life was rocky. He spent many years in the streets and ended up incarcerated. While there, he was able to reflect on himself and his choices. After several tragedies, including the loss of his mother and son, he vowed to do better and spend time with more positive people who could help him make better choices.
A partnership between the Kalamazoo Literacy Council, Southwest Michigan Child Care Resource and the YWCA will scale up a neighborhood-based career pathway that creates full-time child care jobs with competitive wages in a community with a child care shortage.
