Vlog:

Aspects of adult literacy awareness...

Written by A.Abyla Lloyd

While working with emerging small business owners from Black and Brown communities, I discovered that many faced significant intellectual challenges when managing and operating their companies. One of the most pressing obstacles was illiteracy, particularly in reading and writing.

Though many people perceive me as a devoted extrovert, the truth is, I’m a self-proclaimed nerd. I can easily lose myself for hours in a library, flipping through bookshelves and immersing myself in texts. However, during college, I realized that despite my passion for learning, my writing skills were at the level of a 9th grader. This was an uncomfortable truth, especially when I received critical feedback from professors who tore apart my written work. As disheartening as it was, it served as a wake-up call.

Fortunately, Northern Illinois University offered writing support services that played a pivotal role in my…