HTU: Reclaiming Literacy, Reclaiming Power

Adult literacy

City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit) County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Adult literacy isn’t just about reading and writing. It’s about being heard. In LA, far too many Black adults have been failed by schools, ignored by systems, and disconnected from opportunities that reflect their reality. The erasure of Black history, book bans, and digital divides only deepen this harm. Literacy is power, and without it, our communities face silencing. HTU exists to change that narrative by rooting learning in culture, healing, and digital fluency.

HTU is a culturally-rooted digital learning space where Black adults in Los Angeles can build their literacy, power, and voice. Participants enroll in free courses and workshops just like any other school but instead of paying tuition, they invest through presence, participation, storytelling, and community. Each week, learners dive into writing, reading, digital storytelling, civic education, and tech fluency using tools like Notion, TikTok, AI, and guided journaling.
This isn’t traditional school. This is a liberation lab. HTU centers joy, cultural pride, and healing while helping learners build real-world skills: reading forms, writing emails, decoding policies, expressing selfhood and telling your story online. It's where adult learners reclaim their stories, deepen their reading and writing confidence, and learn to engage critically with the world. Adults reclaim literacy as a life tool - and become not just participants in society, but authors of their futures. HTU becomes both a community and a launchpad—equipping learners to not just participate in society, but shape it.

If HTU succeeds, Black Los Angeles flourishes in bold, transformative ways. Adults once silenced by broken systems now speak with confidence, write with clarity, and engage with purpose. Families preserve their legacies. Elders share their wisdom through digital platforms. Artists and entrepreneurs use storytelling as strategy. Voters cast informed ballots. Organizers mobilize with precision and pride.
Literacy becomes a bridge—to healing, economic freedom, civic power, and joy. Through HTU, LA becomes a national model for what it looks like when Black adult learners are invested in, not ignored. A city where digital fluency is rooted in cultural pride. Where reading and writing aren’t just academic skills, but tools for self-determination. And where the voices of Black Angelenos aren’t just heard—they shape the future. Where more people secure stable jobs, contribute to LA’s creative economy, and step into roles in local government and leadership.