Our vision is that one day, literacy will be recognized as a basic human right, supporting people along their journey to read, write, and interpret the world.
About Us
Founded on principles of popular education, Literacy Works supports adult literacy education and communication equity through our Community Literacy and Clear Language Lab programs.
We stand as a key resource to community-based literacy programs, providing low-cost, high quality educational guidance and support. For most programs in Chicago and throughout Illinois, Literacy Works serves as a central source of professional development, networking, and peer learning.
As educators, we believe that access to information is essential for a just society. Our Clear Language Lab offers training, consulting, and coaching services to nonprofit and governmental organizations in a variety of sectors. We work with organizations across the country to make their communications more clear, accessible, and equitable.
Our Values
We center humans over systems.
Processes and policies should work for the people they serve.
We cultivate joy.
Hope and connection are present in everything we do.
We are all teachers and learners.
Everyone has something to teach from their unique lived experiences - education is richer when we learn from each other.
We prioritize access to education and information.
Making it easy for people to get what they need should be the norm.
We challenge oppression.
Pushing back against the tenets of white supremacy culture while making space for hard conversations is integral to our mission.
We respond to the needs of our community.
Our work is driven by active listening and reflection because learning in community is a collaborative process.
Our Impact
Literacy Works is proud to share insights from our work in our Fiscal Year 2024 Impact Report. Through our Community Literacy and Clear Language Lab programs, we continue to deepen our connection to the communities we serve through responsive programming and increased capacity.
This past year, our programs provided training to more than 2100 individuals who represented more than 460 organizations. We are honored to do this work with a strong network of support. We invite you to read our 2024 Impact Report to learn more.