The Literacy Pirates stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. The lives, hopes and dreams of the Black children we work with have always mattered to us.
Our mission is to improve the confidence, perseverance and literacy skills of our Young Pirates so that they can succeed at school and beyond. We work to address educational inequality so that our Pirates’ chances are improved, and they are given the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Having reflected on and re-energised our approach to diversity internally, we want to also add greater hope by joining the dialogue externally. We want to create an even greater alliance with colleagues from all marginalised groups, Young Pirate families, volunteers and supporters.
There are three ways we want to do that:
The first is through continuing to share the unique and diverse stories and lives of our Young Pirates. Whether Young Pirates are talking about the food they enjoy eating, family and home life, friends, or their concerns about life in London, we will amplify their voices by publishing and celebrating their stories.
The second is through our love of books. It is important that children see themselves represented in the literature they read. We have worked hard to diversify our library in recent years to include some of the many fantastic authors and books with protagonists from a range backgrounds. We will share these by posting book recommendations on our social media channels to champion diverse voices in children’s literature.
Finally, in creating a safe and supportive space for our Pirates to celebrate their heritage and express themselves now and in the future. In our next writing project, we are asking our Young Pirates to reflect on current events and the Black Lives Matter protests in London and globally, and how they are feeling. We look forward to sharing their creations soon.
We will continue to protect, respect and empower the creativity and voices of young people in Hackney and Haringey.
Jude Williams, CEO
