Education advocates say there is a literacy crisis that is especially impacting children of color. It is a subject of a recent documentary titled The Right to Read, which says reading is a matter of civil rights.
The community is invited to a free screening of the documentary his weekend in Southeast San Diego.
A report from the U.S. Department of Education says 42% of California fourth graders are reading below a basic level. That increases to 54% for Hispanic students and 62% for Black students.
“Literacy can be anything from looking at pictures and interpreting them (to) singing, rhymes, and communicating one-to-one. That all contributes to the foundation of literacy," said Debbie Taylor, Youth Services Librarian at the Valencia Park/Malcolm X Library, where the documentary will be shown.
The screening is being hosted by Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership, a nonprofit organization best known by the acronym D.E.E.P.
D.E.E.P.'s resources include free literacy tutors and academic enrichment workshops for families who live in the diamond neighborhoods of Southeast San Diego. Those communities include Webster, Encanto, Lincoln Park, and Chollas View among others. Their placement on a map resembles a "diamond."
"We have the tools and we can prove that they work. We just have to disseminate them as much as possible to the people that need them the most," said Rhianna Basore, D.E.E.P.'s director of operations and outreach.
D.E.E.P. also provides free books to families with children preparing for kindergarten. One of the programs offers guidelines and support for pre-K children to read 1,000 books before completing their first year of school.
Literacy can begin well before kindergarten.
Violet Gonzalez and her young daughter, Sabrina, enjoy reading together at the library. Although Sabrina is only 19 months old, there are plenty of opportunities for learning.
"The Right to Read" was executive produced by LeVar Burton, the longtime host of the PBS program "Reading Rainbow."
The documentary will be shown at 1 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at the Valencia Park/Malcolm X Library at 5148 Market St., San Diego, CA 92114.
There will be a community panel discussion following the screening and free snacks will be provided.
The Right to Read Trailer from ROCO Films on Vimeo.
