The Literacy Lab’s Leading Men Fellowship Launched 2025 About Partnering with early childcare providers to close the literacy gap found in marginalized communities. The Literacy Lab’s Leading Men Fellowship works to improve early childhood literacy rates in Pre-K settings by placing young men of color, between the ages of 18-24 years and without a college degree, in classroom settings, offering employment opportunities and elevating the field of education as a viable career path. Early childhood literacy is a critical foundation for lifelong learning and success, yet Boston is falling behind in this margin, with only 29% of third graders reading on their appropriate grade level. This gap disproportionately affects students from underserved communities, perpetuating cycles of inequality– with only 21% of Black students and 19% of Latine students reading to their grade level. GreenLight Boston selected the Leading Men Fellowship (LMF) to bridge the widening literacy gap disproportionately impacting communities of color, while tackling other challenges: Improve Early Literacy Rates: LMF Fellows will implement structured, evidence-based literacy interventions to students on a daily basis, working one-on-one to address individual literacy needs. Create Workforce Opportunities: LMF empowers young men of color with financial resources and opportunities for personal and professional development. Diversify the Educator Workforce: LMF creates pathways for young men of color to enter the education field, addressing a long-standing gap in representation and improving learning and essential skill-building among students of color. Research demonstrates the importance of representation in the classroom — with students of color performing at higher levels when taught by teachers or educators who share their racial and/or cultural backgrounds. LMF’s program has shown proven success, with 61% of participating Pre-K scholars achieving kindergarten readiness at the end of the school year, as compared to 31% at the beginning of the year. Additionally, of the 92 Fellows who completed the 2023-2024 Fellowship, 35 Fellows continued on to a career in education. President & CEO Heather Jenkins National Headquarters Washington, D.C. Email Contact [email protected] Website theliteracylab.org/leading-men Leading Men Fellowship’s Local Goals In the first four years 110 Fellows participating in the program 1,650 Pre-K scholars served What Our Community is Saying “Early childhood education, and particularly reading proficiency, is an area we’ve heard from the community to prioritize at GreenLight Boston given the profound long-term effects that high-quality early learning opportunities have on young children. The opportunity to bring The Leading Men Fellowship to Boston is incredibly compelling because of the organization’s proven methodology for addressing childhood literacy challenges while also diversifying the teacher workforce, something that’s long been a priority for local leaders. “ Melissa Luna Executive Director, GreenLight Boston “We’ve seen the benefits of The Leading Men Fellowship on both the children and the Fellows. Partnering with the GreenLight Fund Boston provides us the opportunity to expand the reach of this transformative program to a new market, one where developing a mechanism for getting more young men of color into the classroom will be particularly impactful. “ Heather Jenkins President & CEO at The Literacy Lab “The Leading Men Fellowship stands out as a pivotal organization committed to empowering young men to become influential community leaders and role models.” Porsha Abrams Boston Family Partner Join our work in Boston We rely on champions and supporters who believe in the power and potential of community-driven change. Follow Us GreenLight Fund Boston Get In Touch
