Black Americans do not have equal access to education, especially as it relates to literacy. This can be traced as far back as 1565, when the Spanish brought enslaved Africans to present-day … Read More
Black History Month 2023: Readings and Resources
WITS celebrates and uplifts the voices of Black authors and creators year-round. In honor of Black History Month (BHM) 2022, here is a list of readings, resources, and ways to … Read More
Remarks from our 30th Anniversary Event
If you missed our 30th anniversary event in December, take a moment to read my remarks from the event. What a year. What. A. Year, or two? Can we give … Read More
A Letter from WITS CEO, Tena Latona
Community and Consistency, Now More than Ever Hello WITS Community, As you may know, students have been experiencing a lot of change since winter break. The surge in COVID-19 cases … Read More
Meet Jessica Gilliam
Jessica Gilliam (she/her) is one of three new program coordinators who joined the staff at WITS in November 2021. Read on to learn more about Jessica, why she loves The … Read More
Meet Erin Toale
If you have checked out WITS’ social media accounts over the past year, you are already familiar with some of Erin Toale’s work! (If you don’t already follow us on … Read More
A Note from the Daughter of WITS Co-founder, Joanne Alter
As a current board member and the daughter of WITS co-founder, Joanne Alter, I am admittedly biased, but I am continually impressed with the organization’s welcoming approach to change. I … Read More
Happy Holidays from WITS!
WITS is officially closed for Winter Break and will reopen on January 4, 2022. During the time off, we here at WITS do a lot of reading! We want to … Read More
Crossword Puzzle Day
If you are an avid newspaper reader, after reading the news you might find yourself craving a good brain tease. One popular brain tease in newspapers is crossword puzzles. When … Read More
WITS at 30: Rochelle Lee Teacher Award
Working in the Schools (WITS) began in a single classroom in 1991. The founders’ intent: to provide in-person, one-on-one literacy mentoring to Chicago students. A second similarly-missioned commitment, spearheaded by Librarian … Read More
