Literacy Task Force Meeting

Task Force Members

• Dr. Edith Bazile, Black Advocates for Educational Excellence
• Yorsalem Brhane, BINCA
• Manuel Coronado, Immigrants Lead Boston alum
• Lori D’Alleva, Charlestown Adult Education
• Xiomara Gomez, Gardner Pilot Academy Adult ESOL program
• Lee Haller, English for New Bostonians
• Stephen Hunter, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center
• Nicole Simeon, Bunker Hill Community College, First Literacy Scholar
• City Councilor Julia Mejia, ex officio
• Gayana Daniel, Office of Language and Communications Access, ex officio
• Papa Diop, Boston Centers for Youth and Families, ex officio
• David Leonard, Boston Public Libraries, ex officio
• Lesley Ryan Miller, Boston Public Schools, ex officio
• Monique Tú Nguyen, Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement, ex officio
• Trinh Nguyen, Worker Empowerment Cabinet, ex officio

Facilitator, Dr. Elizabeth Santiago, The Untold Narratives

City of Boston Staff for Task Force

• Mariangely Solis Cervera, Chief of Equity and Inclusion
• Ân H. Lê, Director of Policy and Research, Equity and Inclusion Cabinet
• Meghan Crowley, Intern, Equity and Inclusion Cabinet

Meeting Goals

By the end of this meeting we will:

1. Continue to build community as literacy task force members,
2. Discuss draft survey developed by NU’s research team, and
3. Build on our previous discussions to set the stage for our work in 2024.

Agenda

10:30-10:35:  Settle in, welcome, quick review of agenda

10:35-10:45:  Re-acclimate us to our work plan

10:45-11:10:    Discuss next steps for survey. Questions to consider:

• Is it worthwhile to start with a qualitative survey that is of a self-reported nature versus one that formally tests the person’s literacy skills?
• If we pursue both, what are the steps to develop and implement both types of surveys?

Outcome: determine next steps for survey including forming a sub-committee to review the Northeastern team’s draft survey and make recommendations for next steps.

11:10-11:20:    Discussion of deployment of survey. Questions to consider:

• How do you see the survey being deployed? What are your initial thoughts on the roadmap?
• Update from https://unlockingliteracy.ai

11:20-11:30:    Determine next steps, schedule next meeting, and wrap-up