SHURITA

PHOTO BY RANDY BACON

SHURITA

“The Gifts of Literacy”

I’ve always loved books and enjoyed reading. While I don’t remember my mother reading to me as a young child, I am pretty sure she did. I do, however, remember that there were always books and magazines around – tons of them! My mom was a voracious reader. There were cookbooks, self-help books, how-to books, Bible books, biographies, and memoirs (She didn’t have much fiction, but there were a few). Even more so than books, in my young mind, It felt like my mother subscribed to every magazine known to man. She received Ebony, Essence, and Jet – the quintessential Black magazines (later she also received O Magazine). She also subscribed to People, Life, Reader’s Digest, Time, Newsweek, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Day. I remember I would be so excited to see those magazines come in the mail. When I was little, I often just flipped through the pages looking at all the pictures. If something caught my eye, I would ask my mother about it and it would spark great conversations about the world, about people, events, and life. By the time I was in high school, I was reading my mother’s magazines from cover to cover. She and I would discuss current events, debate ideas, and laugh about fashion trends. It was a great time connecting with my mom. It was a great time of learning. We were in the know! We were not going to be missing out on much news or pop culture!

In addition to my mother’s books and magazines, she also subscribed me to children's book magazines and book clubs. I loved receiving those magazines and books in the mail with my name on them! I would excitedly open those packages to reveal the new monthly titles and stories. I became obsessed with certain authors and series and couldn’t wait for them to come in the mail. My mother would sometimes take my brother and I to the public library to check out books. I thought it was cool to have a library card, and I found those old stately public libraries to be beautiful spaces. So many books to see and touch. I even appreciated the smell of those libraries – paper, wood, cotton, dust, and maybe a little mold (oh nostalgia!).

Growing up, life was good, and life was bad. There were plenty of highs and some really bad lows. But one of the things that I could always count on was a good read. I loved knowing things and learning new information. I loved escaping into the lives of other people – people who were like me, and people who were very different from me. I loved how books helped me to imagine and dream. Books provided me with a way to connect to others (and to myself). It gave me things to talk to people about. Books helped me to make friends. Reading was one of my favorite pastimes – something to do on those many rainy days growing up in Portland, Oregon.

I cannot imagine my life without all the gifts I received from reading for pleasure. My love of reading served me well as a student and lifelong learner. My life and my passion for education stems from my early literacy experiences. I earned a Ph.D. in speech-language pathology focusing on language and literacy development in early childhood. I help people communicate, and I use books as a tool for therapy. I devote my time and energy outside of my daily work in my career to Ujima Language and Literacy, helping other children and families develop a love and appreciation for reading and all its many gifts that I have enjoyed throughout my life. Reading changes us and opens doors of opportunity. The gifts of literacy stay with us forever, in our hearts, our souls, and our minds. I love books and I enjoy reading.