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Mahummad and Haddix talk about the intricacies of Black Girlhood, their "deeply complexed" literacies and the "need to center their ways of knowing and being in the world". A "plural and multiple epistemological" outlet for multi modal expressions that access ontological ways of being?

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"Just at the point of my progress, Mr. Auld found out what was going on and at once forbade Mrs. Auld to instruct me further, telling her among other things, that it was unlawful, as well as unsafe to teach a slave to read. To use his own words..."If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master...learning would spoil the best nigger in the world...if you teach that nigger[Frederick Douglas] how to read, there would be no keeping him." "From that moment I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom" (Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglas pg. 57,58)

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When Africans arrived to the new world, they relied on other Africans to teach them English, not their traffickers or the men and women that held them captive and brutally slaved them. This system of language teaching and learning came from West African grammatical comparisons the first listening and speaking model. Slaves were speaking fluently in about 6 months and perfect English in a year or less. Though many critical linguist scholars posit White southern dialect comes from some the  influence of slave dialect, slave owners would beat and punish slaves for attempting to speak proper English dialect to foster and keep a Psycho-social cast order.  (see Eugene D. Genovese)

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Jamila Lyiscott is a “tri-tongued orator;” in her powerful spoken-word essay “Broken English,” she celebrates — and challenges — the three distinct flavors of English she speaks with her friends, in the classroom and with her parents. As she explores the complicated history and present-day identity that each language represents, she unpacks what it means to be “articulate.”

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Toni Morrison: On Censorship, Literacy, and Literature

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To honor Toni Morrison's receipt of the 2016 PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction, we dug through our recently digitized archives to find something from Morrison's past work with PEN that continues to resonate and that reflects Morrison's ongoing contributions to art, literature, and free expression.

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Silenced but still I Rise, Regroup, Reclaim and Speak 

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Silenced but still I Rise, Regroup, Reclaim and Speak 

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This has been an eye opening and difficult year and a half for me and this last week has taken the cake. Language and literacy is so intimate its and attack on one is the same as an attack on the self.

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Language is Our Life Line | Joye Walkus | TEDxVictoria

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It's interesting to be a white male posting on this topic...I have some thoughts and I've shared them, but I feel called to "listen" more this week...It took me a while to get around to actually posting because I didn't know how it would look for me to try to write/post/create knowledgeably about the topic. I need you two to lead me! Looking forward to it!

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Don't mind Beyonce over here being a "cultural producer" (from Muhammad & Haddix, p. 320)

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What a timely topic for this week. You may or may not know that many women have been using the hashtag "#metoo" to increase visibility of sexual abuse, violence, assault, harassment in the wake of Harvey Weinstein's firing.

As with any major social movement, I found a critical response that caused me to pause and think. The post I saw was basically saying that men who have been sexually assaulted should not post, or suggest that "men get assaulted too," because doing so takes attention away from the issue (a la "All Lives Matter"). That saying "men get raped too" directs the attention back from women, an often-silenced group when it comes to this topic. The author of the post recommended that men created their own platform to raise awareness.

After some conversations and some thinking, I've come to a new understanding, but it is still incomplete. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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Anyone read her? She is one of my favorite authors. She is a great example of a woman emancipated by her own voice, by the power to own her lived experience. In her autobiographical work, she claims her many difficult experiences (addiction, single motherhood, depression ) and uses them to show others a light. I love reading her. She uses her voice to make space for ideas that are typically swept under the rug. I highly recommend her work.

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Again, the basic needs cannot be taken for granted. Our American society is blessed with luxuries and conveniences that some of our world neighbors have never even heard of. Those daily comforts that we make presumptions about are truly an obstacle for our friends in other places. Providing literacy becomes a lifestyle change and a community intervention. The suggestions given here are insightful and observant of the burden some women carry just to exist day to day.

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As part of this year's 100 Women Challenge, you have been sharing your ideas on how to tackle female illiteracy globally.

This week, Tunisian children's book author and former 100 Women list entry Samar Samir Mezghanni has picked some of your suggestion to feature.

"What struck me the most about these ideas is the contributors' awareness of how global the issues that women face today are," she says.

"The problems contributing to female illiteracy are not country- or region-specific because all societies are patriarchal.

"Women illiteracy experiences and challenges are shared around the world, and these suggested solutions promise to leave no one behind."

'Women should mentor women' - Susan, Hastings, UK

In Delhi, or anywhere in the world where there is female illiteracy, a mentoring programme could be set up, enabling local women who can read/write to register to volunteer to teach women who can't read/write, on a one-to-one or small community group basis.

The programme could be promoted to women at community locations regularly visited by them, like markets. Teaching sessions might even take place at these locations.
Samar's response: Your ideas on smashing the glass ceiling "Women empowerment and equality cannot be achieved without supportive attitudes amongst women. I like this idea because it uses sisterhood to transfer knowledge and create an educational support system for illiterate women."
What is 100 Women?

BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year. In 2017, we're challenging them to tackle four of the biggest problems facing women today - the glass ceiling, female illiteracy, harassment in public spaces and sexism in sport.

With your help, they'll be coming up with real-life solutions and we want you to get involved with your ideas. Find us on Facebook, Integral and Twitter and use #100Women

'Women need affordable and sustainable sanitary products' - Laura, Kentucky, USA

The area closest to my heart touches all four of [the 100 Women challenge] issues. Right now, I am feverishly focused on bringing the first 100% bio-compostable sanitary pad to Tanzania.

My focus on this stemmed from understanding just how much school young women (everywhere - but to a greater extent, in developing countries) were missing because of this normal bodily function. Believing that girls' education - with a particular focus on literacy - is the key to reducing extreme poverty for generations, I became determined to explore a scalable sustainable solution.

As I learned more about how menstruation impacts so many women in ways much more than physical aches and pains, I took note of women who lost employment because of it (and who can deny that people hesitate to put women in power because we're "hormonal at that time of the month") and women who were harassed and shunned because of their cycle (or were raped looking for a private place to clean themselves or forced to trade sex for hygiene products).

Can women change the world in a week?

Is the gender gap closing for rural women?

And who can deny that menstruation is a limiting factor in sports, adding to the general perception of women as the weaker sex?

I know that true change will come when perceptions change - just as much as the provision of an affordable, sustainable product.

'We need government-supplied menstrual cups' - Glenda, Cape Town, South Africa

We need to keep all girls in school and have [already] made huge progress in marginalised girls having access to and attending school. There are also literacy (and science and engineering) intervention and acceleration programmes.

But if the girls do not go to school they will not attain these targets or be part of these programmes.
Samar's response to Laura and Glenda: These are brilliant ideas. The societal perceptions of menstruation have created boundaries to women's educational opportunities. It is time we turn menstruation from a shameful experience into one that is accepted and treated as normal. Do female leaders improve women's lives?
Particularly in Africa girls do not go to school when they are menstruating and miss on average 250 days of high school! We need to get funded/government-supplied menstrual cups to keep girls in school and women in work.

'We should not forget about older women' - Aarthy, Chennai, India

A study says that nearly two-thirds of the world's illiterate are women. Literacy rates are said to be increasing, however the main issue here is that we lose focus on women who are in their adulthood and who were denied education when they were kids.
Samar's response: I like the idea of a mother and daughter studying together. There is a strong bond between them that is rarely channelled in empowering them intellectually and economically. Mothers and daughters support each other in social contexts but this idea can amplify their mutual support, directing it towards a rich learning experience for both.
They could be mothers or grandmothers and still not have access to education. It is important to take steps [to educate girls] but it is also equally important to educate the adults. How about a school where mums and daughters can study together?

'Let all girls read' - JV, USA

[Girls] can't do well if they don't start early, or if they drop out too soon. Unfortunately I don't have a quick-fix solution but I think the right place is to start organically. Let girls read, let them read whatever they want or even what their communities prefer. Take responsibility for literacy out of schools' hands. Reading comprehension is a life skill and [we have] to make it available to everyone, like food and safety.
Samar's response: I am living proof of how reading, literature and education can influence a person's opportunities and career. I support this idea because I firmly believe that a girl who reads is one to watch out for.
Literacy is not just a third-world problem. Reading comprehension is tough, and in the world of fake news and social media, critical thinking and literacy is everyone's problem. When women in all socio-economic classes read, they help by reducing anxiety over misinformation, raising young boys and girls to be courageous and do the right thing. If they have information and the ability to understand the value of science and peer-reviewed articles, or history and how it tends to repeat itself, they will do the right thing.

'School children should help street children' - Madhumita, Mumbai, India
Samar's response: I like this idea because it puts the most underprivileged girls under the spotlight. When we talk about girls and women, we often forget the ones who are the most in need.
Encourage school children to educate street children over weekends and vacations. Make it part of the curriculum or add percentage points [to grades] for work done in this. Provide incentives so children will do it. A large percentage of street children are girls.

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Your ideas on tackling female illiteracy

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As part of this year's 100 Women Challenge, you have been sharing your ideas on how to tackle female illiteracy globally. This week, Tunisian children's book author and former 100 Women list entry Samar Samir Mezghanni has picked some of your suggestion to feature.

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Literacy Reading Quote Women's Plus Size Scoop Neck Dark T-Shirt

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Literacy Reading Quote T-Shirt on CafePress.com

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A Woman Stands In Front Of A Bookshelf Of Memoirs by Roz Chast

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A woman stands in front of a bookshelf of memoirs in a bookstore.  - New Yorker Cartoon Premium Giclee Print

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I was so touched by this mom's courage and determination. I am puzzled by how she kept her illiteracy from her family, especially her sons. What a success among the odds against her to raise 2 college bound children. I was so happy to see her experience in the library for the first time.

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Mom shares her secret after 40 years: Effects of Illiteracy

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ProLiteracy has teamed up with Participant Media and Pivot TV to raise awareness of adult literacy in the United States. The original television series Secret Lives of Americans is a groundbreaking documentary series that takes an unflinching look at the secrets we all keep, and the strength that it takes to reveal them to our friends and family.

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What an amazing story of self-advocacy and strength. Jerutha is an inspiration to us all that we are never too old to do something to improve ourselves. I'm happy to know there are programs available to under-gird our adult population who wish to know and do more. It also made me realize again, we can't take for granted that our kiddos have the help they need to complete their homework at home. I've seen this as a challenge with our 5th graders. What seems so basic for those of us with education can be a huge hurdle for a family that is illiterate.

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Woman, 68, learns to read through nonprofit’s adult literacy program

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Black Progress: How far we've come, and how far we have to go

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Black Progress: How far we've come, and how far we have to go

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https://www.brookings.edu/articles/black-progress-how-far-weve-come-and-how-far-we-have-to-go/

This was a roller-coaster read for me. I am very curious to see what our colleagues think. It veered slightly to include statistics for male and female blacks, but there is much that can be inferred regarding the progress for women. The improvement then decline, the optimism then pessimism concerned me. Just as Muhammad and Haddix stated, the curriculum framework appears to be ineffective.

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I'm not sure where all of my comments went. If I repeat myself as I add on, please forgive me. I don't see my original comments posted.
As I read these news clips, I am reminded how much we take our literacy for granted. Literacy for these 3rd world people, especially women, means empowerment. When you strengthen the women, you give resources to the family, which in turn improves society as a whole. The need is urgent when you consider the "time poverty" the women our facing.

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The literacy injustice: 493 million women still can’t read

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Giving women a second chance at literacy will increase their earning power and give their children a brighter future

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I am always fascinated at how powerful literacy is in the life of a person. To see the statistics and the improvement of lifestyle and societal contribution for women with language skills (and the disadvantage with the lack of) is very compelling.
http://www-01.sil.org/literacy/wom_lit.htm

Consider these facts:
*of the 1 billion illiterates in the world, two thirds of them are women
*the families of women with some education tend to have better housing, clothing, income, water, and sanitation
*educated women are more likely to use health clinics and return to the clinic if their children's health does not improve