Adult Learners Rally to Thank California Legislators

On April 30, 1996, over 100 adult learners/new readers gathered on the steps of the California State Capitol to thank legislators for their support to literacy in California. An announcement placed on-line through OTAN a week before the rally invited adult learners from throughout the state and from all providers to join the rally. A number of library staff attending the annual California Library Association Legislative Day also joined the learners on the steps. The rally was under the sponsorship of Assemblyman Tom Bates of Oakland, a long time friend of literacy.

Although the rally itself did not begin until noon in Sacramento, the Bay Area New Readers Council (NRC) chartered a bus to pick up the learners at 9:00 am in Berkeley for their trip to the Capitol. The 100 mile ride to the Capitol generated a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm. Learners practiced their speeches, sang songs, and generally became better acquainted with each other. However, not all learners traveled on the bus as a number chose to travel by car with staff or fellow learners.

The rally began with Enrique Ramirez (new reader from South San Francisco and featured learner in the documentary "Enrique's Story") welcoming the crowd of learners and their supporters to the rally. He then introduced Dr. Kevin Starr, State Librarian of California. Dr. Starr expressed his admiration and support warmly and eloquently to the learners.

Next, State Senator Nick Petris of Oakland addressed the rally. He, too, spoke of his commitment to the literacy needs of his community and of the state. He fondly recalled his personal meetings with learners from various Oakland literacy programs. He let the learners know that they are valued members of their communities.

Enrique then introduced four adult learners who spoke briefly about how literacy has changed their lives. Sherries from Sonoma County, Claude from Richmond, Darlene from Alameda County and Walter from Oakland each told their personal stories of difficulty and then triumph. Both Sherries and Darlene have become staff at their respective literacy programs, providing a special connection to other learners through their own experiences.

Next Enrique introduced Al and Chris, adult learners from San Mateo Public Library, who presented a brief play that they had written. The play spoke movingly of their own experiences in trying to apply for a job as a non reader. With poignant humor, the play touched the hearts and minds of everyone in the audience.

As a closing to the rally, five more learners spoke of their successes since becoming literate. Gloria from Berkeley, John from Corona, Emma from Santa Clara County, Jean from Berkeley and finally Enrique himself told their personal stories. Enrique then closed the rally by thanking the legislators for their support and thanking those who attended for coming to the rally.

After the rally, the learners and a few literacy staff gathered on the Capitol lawn for a box lunch. When the lunch was finished, learners were encouraged to spend the next hour and a half personally visiting legislators in their offices. Prior to the rally, many appointments had been set up with legislators or their aides. Learners regrouped at 3:30 to begin the bus ride back to Berkeley.

This was the fourth time since 1989 that the Bay Area New Readers Council (San Francisco area) had planned and conducted such a rally.

The Bay Area New Readers Council began in 1986 and consisted of a core group of about 20 new readers from various public library literacy programs. A Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) Title I grant from the California State Library provided some minimal funding for a part-time staff person to help develop and coordinate the Council. The grant was in response to requests from new readers' and literacy coordinators' to facilitate the development of new reader leadership in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Even though the LSCA grant for part-time staff support was for only two years, the Bay Area Library Literacy Network (BALIT) has supported the work of the NRC since its inception and currently provides funding for Bonnie Bjerre to continue limited staff support. Bonnie Bjerre is the former director of Contra Costa County's Project Second Chance.

Local library literacy staff helped to promote interest in the Council and served as support in the early stages. Some literacy coordinators even provided the transportation needed for their learners to attend meetings held mostly in Richmond (a fairly central location with available public transportation).

Since its founding, the NRC has sponsored three large learner conferences for Bay Area learners with over 300 learners in attendance at each. They also regularly offer workshops for local literacy programs on getting learners involved and developing new reader leadership.

As their skills developed, individual members of NRC received training to provide workshops to both tutors and other learners on a variety of topics. Workshop topics include: the National Issues Forums, how and why to vote, helping your children with homework, developing self-esteem, getting a job and goal-setting. Local programs usually provide transportation costs and a small honorarium to those learners who conduct the workshops.

The NRC has been very effective at developing the leadership capabilities of adult learners. With each success, the group has grown and flourished. Although run by adult learners, the additional support of a part-time staff person and local literacy programs have been instrumental to the success of this group.

The learners of the NRC were also very crucial to the success of California's 1996 first ever state-wide Adult Learner Conference. Two members of the NRC sat on the Planning Committee for the Conference. In addition, a number of NRC learners lent their skills as presenters to the many workshops held at this Conference. Indeed, the state-wide Conference was partially modeled after previously held highly successful Bay Area New Reader Conferences.

Various media covered the rally at the Capitol and a professional camera operator captured highlights on videotape. These will be edited and included in a film about the Adult Learner Conference. The film will include the rally as an example of the kind of active role learners can play in advocating for literacy.

For more information about the rally or the New Reader Council, contact:

Bonnie Bjerre, NRC staff

Al Bennett, Literacy Specialist
California State Library

Carole Talan, Director, State Literacy Resource Center of California
Family Literacy Specialist, California State Library