DISMANTLING STRUCTURAL RACISM IN CHILDREN’S LITERACY

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Our Mission

Children’s Literacy Initiative seeks to dismantle structural racism by providing Black and Latinx children with the anti-racist early literacy instruction, support, and advocacy needed to create equity in education.

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WHO WE ARE

Meet CLI

Advancing Literacy Equity Through Teacher Empowerment

CLI transforms education by empowering educators, bridging literacy gaps in high-need populations. We equip teachers, foster dynamic learning communities, and collaborate with districts for continuous improvement. Our goal is to ensure every child achieves reading proficiency, shaping a brighter future through innovative education.

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CLI’S FOOTPRINT

Nurturing Futures Nationwide

We’ve expanded to serve at-risk pre-k to 3rd-grade students, rooted in our founding principles. Intensive training transforms teachers into exemplary instructors, changing children’s lives. Partnering with 250 schools across 6 states, our work transforms practice at the instructional core.

CLI’s Core Values

In our relentless pursuit of equity, we adhere to the following guiding principles

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We Show Appreciation for Diversity

We value the contributions, perspectives, and insights of others and treat every member of our community with dignity and respect.

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We All Take And Share Responsibility

Within our respective roles we consistently reflect and work to understand the impact of our actions within each situation, decision and their contributions to our outcomes.

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We Focus on Impact

Everything we do is in service of strong educational outcomes, access, and opportunities for Black and Latinx children, educators, and communities that we serve.

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We Center Equity

While we are all in different places on our journeys to antiracist and equity-centered leadership, we own our individual and collective growth and development. We are a learning organization that will require us to think differently and act differently in order to attain a different outcome for the children and communities we serve.

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We are One Team

While we have our unique roles and responsibilities within our work, all of our work is interconnected and we have a responsibility to support one another to success.

CLI’s History

Celebrating Literacy Since 1988

Founded in 1988, we began as the hope of a single librarian in Philadelphia. What started as an annual celebration of literacy and quality literature is now a nationwide educational non-profit that impacts the lives and professions of over 70,000 students and more than 3,500 teachers per year.

Meet the Team

As passionate dismantlers of racism through antiracist literacy, we promote educational equity with an interdisciplinary approach.

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Dr. Diana L. Greene

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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Reina Prowler

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

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Erica Holmes-Ware

CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER

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Sonita Thompson

CHIEF OF STAFF

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Caryn Henning

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAM DESIGN

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Kristen Brown

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Kate Rutledge

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS AND SUPPORT

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Jordanne Owen

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, BRANDING, & E-LEARNING

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Michele LaCoursiere

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EASTERN REGION

Mia Rose

DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING

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Mary List

DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS AND SUPPORT

Danielle Muckley

NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY

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Nicole Bethea

DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS AND SUPPORT

Dr. Diana Greene

CEO, Children's Literacy Initiative

Jacqueline Woolley

Atty. & Counselor at Law, Dailey LLP

Sandra LaFleur

Chair Director, Changemaker Education and Social Innovation, Miami Dade College

Gerald Mosely

Vice-Chair President

Victoria Raivitch

Treasurer Principal, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP

Mary Klein

Secretary Retired Educator

John Bonow

Managing Director & CEO (retired), Public Financial Mgmt.

Henri Crockett

Co-Founder & President, Crockett Foundation

Nelson Flores

Associate Professor, Educational Linguistics, Division University of Penn.

Frank Gettridge

President & CEO, The Philanthropic Collaborative for Education

Steve Piltch, Ed.D.

Senior Fellow Director, School Leadership Program, Graduate School of Education University of Pennsylvania

Lori Taylor

Attorney

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Join CLI’s Team

Be the change and join our team as we work towards our mission to empower and support educators while uplifting children and their communities.

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A Transformative Approach to Literacy Professional Development

CLI addresses the gap in literacy training by providing high-quality instruction, coaching, and resources. Through research-based strategies and professional learning communities, we empower educators and leaders with skills that last a lifetime, ensuring students benefit greatly throughout their educational journeys. Our organization partners with districts to establish sustainable processes, supporting continuous improvement in schools.

CLI’s Financials

We maintain a Gold Participant rating from GuideStar, showcasing sound fiscal practices and a commitment to accountability and transparency. We also hold a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, denoting exceptional financial health and dedication to accountability and transparency with 83% of expenses directed towards programming in 2023-24. Unrestricted philanthropic funding supports our organizational capacity, technology, and innovation, contributing to our sustainability and strategic growth. For further details, you can review our latest Form 990 and audit. Federal Tax ID# - 23-2515768.

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CLI’s Services

Transform Literacy at Your School with CLI

Reach out to a CLI team member today to learn more and explore possibilities for working together.