Partnering with the community to open doors to literacy and learning.
One Student’s Literacy Journey
Zahara Taylor recalls her early school years with painful clarity: “I wasn’t a strong reader. There was no joy in reading, and there should have been joy.” Like so many other students, reading was frustrating rather than fulfilling. She watched classmates effortlessly navigate texts that remained barriers for her, and her confidence plummeted.
Then, in middle school, everything changed when a reading tutor introduced her to Learning Ally.
Being able to listen and follow along with audiobooks allowed Zahara to finally read independently—and for the first time, experience the joy of reading. She accessed most of her textbooks as audiobooks from the Learning Ally library, and with newfound confidence, her perspective on her academic ability shifted. She realized that she had the potential to accomplish her goals and compete for academic opportunities.
Zahara transformed from a struggling reader into an honor roll student. In 2024, she was nominated and accepted as Maryland’s HOBY Youth Leadership representative, where she joined students from across the state in leadership workshops.
But Zahara’s story doesn’t end with her personal success—it’s where her impact truly begins.
Creating Change Through the “I Love Reading” Project
During the HOBY Youth Leadership program, Zahara reflected on her own struggles with reading and recognized how fortunate she was to have had access to the right tools and support. She also realized that many students—especially Black children in under-resourced communities—didn’t have access to the same opportunities. That’s when her mission became crystal clear: she wanted to give other struggling readers the same chance to succeed that she had.
Motivated by her experiences, Zahara launched “I Love Reading,” a community-driven project aimed at encouraging Black children to read and providing struggling readers with the resources they need to thrive.
How Zahara’s Initiative Works
Through her “I Love Reading” project, Zahara is tackling literacy challenges head-on by raising awareness about literacy barriers that disproportionately affect Black students, fundraising to provide accessible books and audiobooks to students who need them most, engaging local schools and educators to integrate culturally relevant reading materials, and encouraging students to embrace the joy of reading through community events and peer mentorship.
Zahara specifically identified three schools in the Washington, D.C. metro area that would benefit from her project: two elementary schools and one middle school. With the support of her mother, she raised nearly $2,000 to purchase culturally relevant books for the elementary schools and 10 Learning Ally family memberships for students at Howard Middle School.
But she didn’t stop there. Zahara recruited her friends and dance group to help create reading nooks in elementary school classrooms and lead read-aloud sessions for younger students. When she visited Howard Middle School, she shared her own story of overcoming reading challenges with students, serving as a living example of what’s possible when struggling readers get the right tools and support.
Through her project, Zahara isn’t just distributing books—she’s creating a culture of literacy, representation, and empowerment for students who need it most. She became the bridge between struggle and success, helping other students just as caring supporters like you helped her reach her potential.
Reading opens doors, and Zahara has opened doors for herself as she looks ahead to college and career. More importantly, Zahara has created opportunities for Black American children in her community who are now on their own paths to literacy success.
A Teacher and Parent’s Dual Perspective
Jennifer Baker-Contra knows firsthand the heartbreak of struggling to read. She’s both the parent of a child with dyslexia and a second-grade teacher, giving her a unique understanding of reading challenges from both sides.
Jennifer shares the transformative impact Learning Ally solutions had in both her home and her classroom:
“As a parent, I saw my own child with dyslexia gain independence in his own reading and access rich literature that he couldn’t previously. As a teacher, I appreciate how my second-graders are able to ‘ear read’ those chapter books that they struggle to read independently, exposing them to new vocabulary and rich stories and building comprehension. Thank you!”
Jennifer’s experience illustrates how Learning Ally doesn’t just help individual students—it supports families and classrooms, creating ripple effects that extend far beyond a single child’s reading journey.
Today, thousands of students who are blind, visually impaired, or have reading differences like dyslexia are still waiting for their moment to thrive in school and beyond. They need champions to believe in their potential and provide the resources that can change everything.
Your Opportunity to Create Change
For 75 years, Learning Ally has been the bridge between struggling readers and academic success, providing audiobooks and literacy resources that transform educational experiences.
As our fiscal year ends on June 30, 2025 we’re calling on advocates and community members to help us raise funds to ensure more students like Zahara and Jennifer’s child can access the literacy tools they need to succeed.
Thanks to donors, we can continue to open doors to reading and learning for the next students who desperately need our support. Every donation helps provide audiobooks, educational resources, and hope to students whose potential is waiting to be unlocked.
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