Our Vision
A community where everyone has abundant opportunities through the empowerment and freedom that literacy provides.
Literacy is the single most important foundational skill that can unlock a person’s potential for success in life. Performing well in school, interacting with others, solving problems, seeking employment, and supporting a family – literacy makes all of it possible. Our mission is to help learners of all backgrounds and ages – from young children to adults – achieve the critical literacy skills they need to navigate the world. By collaborating with hundreds of partners across all sectors, we aim to improve the quality of life in the Mid-South by supporting a culture of lifelong learning.
Our Mission
Our mission is to equip our community to pursue opportunities by facilitating equitable access to literacy across the lifespan.
Literacy Mid-South improves the quality of life in our community through education by providing literacy programs for adults and children as well as a network of collaborative projects with some of the Mid-South's finest educational organizations. Our organization was formed to help people of all ages and backgrounds achieve the critical literacy skills they need to navigate the world. We are a group of passionate staff, volunteers, board, and community organizations dedicated to making the Mid-South a community actively engaged in continuous learning.
Our Beliefs
Literacy is Liberation. Literacy provides both the economic and social freedom that every person deserves.
All individuals should have ongoing access to high-quality texts that span many different types of subjects, stories, and authors. Readers should both see themselves in what they read and have a chance to explore the unique experiences of others. We want to foster pride, self-love, curiosity, and empathy through the texts we choose.
We value the different voices of our employees and believe that cross-collaboration makes our work stronger and better.
Inclusivity starts at home. We strive to build an inclusive workplace that recognizes all voices at the table while appreciating the individuality of each employee.
From an advocacy standpoint, we understand the role that literacy plays in the realization of a socially just community. Additionally, we acknowledge the obstacles that create a less-literate population. These realities inform our internal initiatives, as well as our external presence in collaborative community initiatives. We strive to be an organization of literacy champions that encourages substantive learning to build cultural consciousness and economic freedom.
We recognize the historical context of Memphis, celebrate our incredible cultural assets, and recognize how we got here and why.
We celebrate all of the different skillsets our learners bring to the table and the expertise they share.
Our Values
We know we are better together. We believe in the power of strong partnerships and foster a welcoming team that encourages others to be a part of our impact. We meet people where they are and help them accomplish their goals while honoring their lived experiences and individual voices. We are committed to one another and the people we serve.
Community
Joy
We approach our work with passion and excitement for what’s possible. We help learners experience the joy found through literacy, inspiring and empowering them to be life-long, capable readers.
Respect
We honor our commitments and strive to be dependable and trustworthy. We are committed to making our partners, colleagues, and those we serve feel valued, seen, understood, and appreciated for who they are.
We fundamentally believe in the power of possibility. We celebrate wins, both big and small, and acknowledge and reinforce growth in others. We are fueled by a sense of relentless hope for the future, and we see that future reflected in our learners and their progress.