We are raising funds to provide critical resources and opportunities for K-5 students in marginalized Los Angeles communities, ensuring they gain foundational literacy skills and exposure to STEAM.
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As a data analyst with 20 years of experience in information systems, I’d built a career solving problems for a large organization. But I felt the need to use my experience to solve the lack of literacy for my children, who were struggling readers. I started digging into LAUSD’s public reports late at night after my kids were asleep. What I found shattered me: Black and Latino students in our district were 2-3 grade levels behind their white peers in reading proficiency. The gap wasn’t just a number—it was my son Jamal, who’d whisper, “Mama, I’m trying,” as tears smudged his homework.
I rallied other parents, demanding after-school literacy programs. We secured a grant for volunteer tutors, but it wasn’t enough. The district moved slowly, and I watched brilliant kids—kids who could recite every lyric to their favorite songs or troubleshoot my phone better than I could—start to believe they weren’t “smart enough” for school. One afternoon, my son came home and asked, “Why do we always get the old computers?” His question hit hard.
That’s when I realized: Equity isn’t just about catching kids up—it’s about dismantling systems that hold them back. I quit my corporate job and poured my savings into founding N’Route Help Heal Organization. Using my data expertise, we designed You Can Read! + Bots STEAM, a program that doesn’t just tutor kids but rewires the entire ecosystem around them. We pair phonics lessons with robotics kits, train parents to advocate at school board meetings, and partner with Black engineers to mentor students.
Last month, my youngest son coded his first robot to spell out “I MATTER” in block letters. My daughter now loves to read chapter books aloud to her younger brother every night. But this isn’t just about my children. It’s about every kid in our community who’s been handed a narrative that they’re “behind” instead of being given tools to lead.
This is where I need you.When we invest in these children, we’re not just teaching them to read—we’re building future innovators who’ll solve problems we can’t yet imagine. Join me in turning data into action, potential into power, and systemic neglect into generational hope
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