The profound differences that continue to separate women by culture, language, literacy and geography will dominate the discussions at “Building Alliances/Construyendo Alianzas,” the fifth annual (Net)working Gathering and Conference on Women & Literacy on March 7 and 8 at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus. Co-sponsored by Women Expanding: Literacy Education Action Research Network (WE LEARN) and Fordham’s Graduate School of Education, this year’s conference will explore the differences that divide women and consider ways of building alliances across those differences.
This community- and education-based conference will include a series of workshops and events focusing on general issues of women’s basic/literacy education. An exhibit area will feature a collection of women-centered literacy materials and curriculum resources gathered by WE LEARN as well as the work of authors, publishers and literacy organizations directly related to the field.
Meizhu Lui, co-author of The Color of Wealth: The Story Behind the U.S. Racial Wealth Divide (New Press, 2006), will deliver the keynote address. In addition, several special events are planned to celebrate women’s empowerment through literacy learning.
“We at Fordham are especially honored to host the 2008 WE LEARN Conference,” said Kathleen P. King, Ed.D., professor and program co-director of the M.S. in Adult Education and Human Resource Development at the Graduate School of Education. “This is a collaboration and exchange among adult literacy educators and adult literacy students, a celebration of women’s empowerment and International Women’s Day, and a visible example of what a transformative change adult education can bring about in people’s lives.”
Additional information and registration materials are available from WE LEARN on the web (http://www.litwomen.org/conference.html), by email (welearn@litwomen.org) or by phone (401-383-4374). Walk-in registrations are welcome.
WE LEARN, an educational non-profit membership organization, promotes women’s literacy as a tool for personal growth and social change through networking, education, action and resource development. Celebrating its fifth anniversary, WE LEARN exists as a membership organization and network to bring consistent visibility for women’s literacy issues, create connections among educators, encourage new research relevant to women in ABE, and develop and distribute women-focused literacy materials and curriculum resources. It is the only national U.S. organization directly addressing the issues of adult women’s literacy and the needs of women in adult basic/literacy education.
Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education has prepared educators to be leaders in scholarship and service to individuals for more than 85 years. In keeping with the University’s Jesuit values, its students, faculty, and administrators share a commitment to the professional development of the whole person. The Graduate School of Education currently serves prospective and experienced teachers, counselors, educational and school psychologists, and school leaders who are enrolled in master’s, advanced certificate, and doctoral degree and certification programs. The 47 full-time faculty of the Graduate School of Education are scholars who conduct cutting-edge research and practitioners who can apply the best instructional practices in K-12 schools and adult education. In particular, the faculty specializes in multiracial, multilingual, multicultural, and economically diverse environments such as New York City.
