Literacy and Writing Organizations That Need Support
Youth reading scores are at their lowest in over two decades, and artistic programs face cuts
After I graduated from college, it took me only a few months to begin craving community. Living in Los Angeles, all of my friends felt far away. And while my calendar in school was always full of academics, hobbies, and other events, my time now predominantly felt like it went to my new job. When I stumbled across WriteGirl, a Los Angeles based organization that helps young writers develop their craft, I knew I had my answer.
These days, I’m feeling the same way, and I know I’m not alone; many of us recognize the power community has in creating a united front amidst a divisive, fascist government. And with artistic expression and knowledge so severely threatened—whether that be via censorship or grant cuts for the National Endowment of the Arts; reading levels at their lowest in two decades; and many students, particularly those that are immigrants or trans, no longer feel comfortable at school—reading and writing spaces, including libraries and organizations like WriteGirl, also need our support.
When we created our Readership Challenge at the end of 2024, we had no clue how important and relevant the prompt to support a literacy organization would become. We’ve rounded up a handful of organizations, including those that seek volunteers and/or donations. And as we approach the holiday season, we might consider how to get involved, or donate—whether from ourselves, or by asking others to donate in our name.
Books we are reading (or hoping to read) this month
✅ Heart the Lover by Lily King
✅ Endling by Maria Reva
✅🎧Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder
🗓️ American War by Omar El Akkad
🗓️ Palestinian Walks by Raja Shehadeh
🗓️ This Is the Only Kingdom by Jaquira Díaz
🗓️ Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa
🗓️🎧Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck
Note: For books we have completed, we’ll only include here ones we recommend.
Books new to our TBR
Hotel Iris by Yoko Ogawa
Three Parties by Ziyad Saadi
A Girl Returned by Donatella Di Pietrantonio
See our recent post on our most anticipated fall reads for more!
The 2025 ad astra Readership Challenge: “Contribute to a literacy organization”
What organizations are working to increase access to and a love for reading and writing?
WriteGirl: WriteGirl’s mission is to promote creativity and self-expression to empower girls and gender-expansive youth, within a community of writers. Serving more than 700 teens and young adults annually—mainly from LA’s high-density neighborhoods but increasingly from across the nation and the world—the program includes one-on-one mentorship, monthly workshops, and college support.
You might also check out Bold Ink Writers, an organization founded by WriteGirl that works with teen boys.
LGBT Books to Prisoners: This donation-funded, volunteer-run organization sends books and other educational materials, free of charge, to incarcerated LGBTQ people across the United States.
Open Books: Open Books transforms students’ reading and writing skills through experienced educators, safe learning environments, and access to high-quality books and tailored curricula. They fund their programs through their used bookstores across the Chicago area and online.
We Need Diverse Books: The organization builds lifelong readers and a more compassionate world through the power of diverse books. They support marginalized creators, publish inclusive stories, and provide readers with books that reflect our world.
Read Your World: This non-profit works to ensure that every child has access to diverse and inclusive children’s literature, fostering literacy, empathy, and inclusivity in young readers.
Oakland Literacy Coalition: The Oakland Literacy Coalition galvanizes the community around a shared vision for a literacy-rich city and strengthens the field so that a well-supportive and effective network of services exists to make literacy a reality for and with all Oakland children and families.
Freedom Reads: Founded in 2020, Freedom Reads is the only organization in the nation using literature, design, and architecture to create transformative experiences for people in prison and to meaningfully elevate the dignity of the millions of people in this country touched by the criminal legal system.
Women’s Prison Book Project: This volunteer-run, grassroots organization provides incarcerated people with access to resources and information.
In their work, these organizations are doing much more than increasing skills—they’re building community, passion, and, for many, a future. In addition to these we’ve shared, we encourage you to look into local groups, especially if you’re interested in volunteering.
About the challenge
Folks who complete all the prompts by EOY will be entered to win a $100 gift card to their indie bookstore of choice. Those who finish at least six of the prompts will receive an exclusive ad astra sticker. In December, we’ll share a submission link to complete as proof of participation. (Our downloadable tracker will be helpful for this!)
Other publishing updates
Trump sued Penguin Random House for $15 billion. Let’s talk about it.
Banned Books Week took place earlier this month, and Palestinian voices are still being silenced—but without the same support that other censored authors are receiving.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read! If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share with friends, and consider subscribing if you have not yet already. Also, in case you missed it, we have prints! Learn more and place an order here.
We’ll be back in a few weeks with the latest publishing updates.
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