Literacy History Blog

     My earliest memory of being "literate", or learning to read, was when I was around 4 or 5 and my parents, usually, my mom, would read me kids' books. My mother would trace over the letters with her fingers and help me sound them out, making sure I understood every sound the letters made and the meaning of the words and sentences when they were all put together. I was always encouraged to read at a young age and my parents and teachers would dedicate their time to help me and offer support. I've always associated literacy with power and nurturing. I was fortunate in that sense that I had people around me who were able to aid me and work with me in my literacy journey and genuinely cared about my learning. Once I felt I got the hang of it, I would read all the time, I was in love with it, constantly carrying a book around in my hand, getting lost in the universes and fantasy worlds that these authors would create. I was able to escape and felt my creativity blossom every time I opened a book. The ability to read has always played a huge role in my life in that sense. It helped introduce me to brand new worlds and ideas and ways of thinking. Not only that, but it also helped understand people better, especially through their writing style. The way that people express their ideas shows who they are better than anything.

      As I got older and began to expand my reading comprehension and knowledge, I started looking for more challenging and dynamic literature, expanding my palette to more classic novels, as well as poetry. What excites me the most about these types of readings is that they're not easily understandable. When reading classic novels in old English, as well as poetry, you have to, essentially, translate the words into something you can understand. The challenge makes the reading more fun and interesting for me, adding another layer of mental stimulation. 

      I'm grateful for the support I have received throughout the years and being able to buy and access the many novels and readings that have shaped my tastes and identity.