Shirtiera Lynch Johnson with the Office of the Attorney General is the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Coordinator for Sector 113 of East End Richmond, this includes all the public housing communities. She runs a literacy-reading group weekly at 5 locations across Richmond. In addition, she is part of the East End Literacy Collaboration with Adam Zimmerli with the Richmond Library, Karen Wells of VPM and Oakwood Arts.
RPD & Friends Read features readers from the Richmond Police, Richmond Fire and Capitol Police as a few of the “friends” who read to youth ages 3-17 at the community centers in Creighton, Fairfield and Mosby along with Gilpin and Church Hill Friend’s Association for Children.
Why Books and Why Now?
The goal of the program is to “Bridge the Community, One Book at a Time” by building positive relationships with law enforcement and friends who work in the communities of our very beautiful youth. It is meant to strengthen the neighborhoods along with build literacy and support diversity by exposing youth to books authored/illustrated by people of color. Intentionally, books are read that promote culture, coping and tells the stories of all around. We serve up to 100 youth amongst all locations weekly.
She reached out hoping to connect with all of us about her Holiday Book Drive she’s currently running with hopes of finding assistance in providing new books to the youth of Church Hill.
Her goal at least 300 books, providing 2-3 books per person. Her desire with this book drive is to ensure all youth are able to build their own personal library in their homes and continue to increase their literacy and reading levels with books we provide.
1 comment
Love this!