NEWS

On Feb. 8, Jasmine Mendoza, a bilingual teacher at United Community Schools (UCS) PS 48 in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx, woke up early to help distribute 30,000 books and 250 Lego sets to students and educators at her school. “I was tired!” she said, laughing. “But it was worth it to see the joy on the kids’ faces when they got new books.”

The book fair was part of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)’s Reading Opens the World literacy campaign, which partners with First Book to distribute free books to students, families and educators. Staff from the office of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez helped distribute the books, as the congresswoman has taken a special interest in the campaign. AFT President Randi Weingarten and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson also attended.

Each child took home up to 10 free books, and educators selected up to 50 books each for their classroom libraries. Families also enjoyed crafts, a live DJ, support from the school’s onsite clinic and a performance from the school’s step team, the Blossoms. 

At the literacy fair, UCS Executive Director Karen Alford reflected on the benefits of reading, saying, “Books offer opportunities for children to see themselves. For children to learn about other cultures and to build their imaginations.” Alford also noted that more reading means less screen time.

These benefits are not lost on Brianna Morgan, who attended the fair with her 5-year-old son. She shared proudly that he looks forward to reading with her before bed. His new books include “How I Learn: A Kid’s Guide to Learning Disabilities.” “He has a speech problem,” said Morgan. “So it’s perfect for him.” 

Yolanda Rivera, a paraprofessional at PS 48, agreed that “reading is powerful.” 

But many families can’t afford to buy books for their children. Mendoza explained, “Books nowadays are so expensive. One book alone is like $15.”

And cost is not the only thing keeping the students of PS 48 from reading. Melanie Acosta, the UCS community school director, noted that the neighborhood is “industrial,” with the nearest library being 15 to 20 minutes away by bus. “Transportation is a challenge,” she said. “So it was nice to have this fair close to home.” 

Rivera is a PS 48 alumnus and the mother of three PS 48 students. She went from PTA vice president to paraprofessional after some urging from the school’s principal. “I loved seeing the difference I could make in kids’ lives,” said Rivera. “So I went back to school to become a special education teacher.” Currently, she is earning her associate’s degree while balancing motherhood and her work as a paraprofessional. Her evolving role at PS 48 exemplifies the community-based, collaborative nature of the UCS approach. 

Drawing on her deep knowledge of Hunts Point, Rivera pointed out that for some local parents, long hours at work make it hard to support their children’s literacy. For others, language itself is an obstacle. “A lot of parents don’t speak English,” she said. “They don’t know how to take out a library card. But now, at least they have bilingual books at home to read with their kids.”

In such a remote neighborhood, the community school director fills in the gaps, hosting events like this one to nourish the community. Morgan praised PS 48’s food pantries and school supply giveaways, while Rivera said that the school’s GED program shows support for parents as well as students. “We have these events so that families feel welcome to participate in their kids’ education,” explained Rivera. 

During a speech at the literacy fair, AFT President Randi Weingarten asked the assembled families and educators, “Will we use these books to recreate the promise of America? The promise of every kid having the future that they deserve?” 

The answer was a resounding, “Yes!”