Creating Your Vision

What is your vision for the campus and/or community?

The mission of The Josie Odum Morris Literacy Project, Inc. is to promote literacy in the Inkster, Michigan, by making new books, forums, workshops, and reading and writing tutors available and accessible to city residents.

Assessing Your Campus and Community

What campus/community problem does your blueprint address? What structures, practices and policies institutionalize the problem?

Inkster, Michigan, is a working class community and is home to 30,125 people. According to the Detroit Literacy Coalition 38 percent of adults that live in the City of Inkster are functionally illiterate. Furthermore the median age of residents is 31 years old. This is an issue because many of these adults have children in grade school. If the parents cannot read well, they are not going to be able to help their children become better readers.

The factors that contribute to this issue include: Lack of community awareness, lack of parental involvement, and lack of intervention on the part of the Inkster City Council.

In 2007, I incorporated The Josie Odum Morris Literacy Project Inc. (JOMLP), a nonprofit organization. Our goal is to create innovative programs that will increase literacy skills in children and adults that live in Inkster, MI.

My blueprint for social justice will accomplish two things: 1) It will raise awareness about the issue of illiteracy among adults that live in Inkster. 2) Encourage children in grades first through third to develop an appreciation for literature and to become lifelong learners.

What communities will you work with?

• Local community

Setting Goals and Deliverables

• Goal 1: Increase community awareness surrounding the issue of illiteracy.
• Host a community forum.
• Seek radio and television interview opportunities
• Speak to my peers about the issue
• Goal 2: Increase literacy skills among children in grades first through third.
• Host a monthly story time.
• Host backyard book clubs in the summer.
• Goal 3: Increase funding for library
• Obtain at least 900 supporting signatures
• Go before Inkster City Council with library millage petition
• *Have library millage put on the ballot
• Rally my peers to get out and vote

What is your primary approach? Leadership and Capacity Building

Why did you choose this approach?

In order to qualify for more grant opportunities I need $750 dollars to file my 501 (c)(3) forms. Many grant guidelines require that a charitable organization have 501(c)(3) status.

What will your tactics and activities be?

In March 2008, JOMLP will host “All Around the World Story Time Series,” a year long reading project that will take place once a month for one hour at Baylor Woodson Elementary School in the City of Inkster. Each month there will be a new story theme introduced. All Around The World, for example, will be a series of story times that will focus on different countries around the world. A new country will be introduced each month and children will have the opportunity to learn about various international peoples and cultures.

The JOMLP volunteers and I will use puppets and costumes to bring life to each story. The JOMLP volunteers will encourage the children to participate in the story time activities.

The “All Around the World Story Time Series” is being implemented to encourage youth ages 6-8 to develop an appreciation for literature and to develop lifelong learners. Furthermore it is also being implemented to encourage parental involvement.

On Saturday, June 28, 2008, JOMLP will host the First Annual State of Literacy Forum will be held at the Booker T. Dozier Recreation Center in Inkster, MI. The forum will be hosted and mediated by CBS/CW50 Detroit Television News Reporter Edward Foxworth.

The proposed participating panelists are Pastor Joseph Stephens, president of the Inkster Ministerial Alliance; Thomas G. Maridada, Inkster Public School superintendent and Michigan superintendent of the year award winner, 2008; Michael Wells, Chair of the Inkster Library and Historical Commission; and Ms. Lucille Flint, president of the Western Wayne County NAACP branch.

The forum will focus on the social and historical roots of illiteracy in Inkster, MI. Pastor Joseph Stephens will address the role of the church in the effort to combat illiteracy. Thomas G. Maridada will comment on the steps the Inkster School Board of Education is taking to encourage parental involvement and to help parents improve their literacy skills. Michael Wells will give a historical analysis of the issue of illiteracy. Finally, Ms. Lucille Flint will analyze the issue from a social and cultural perspective.

Attendees will have an opportunity to address the panel with their questions and concerns. Following the panel discussion there will be a reception where attendants will have access to community organizations that offer literacy services. The community representatives include: The Star Fish Family Services Great Parents Great Start Program; The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Book and Blanket Program; and the Josie Odum Morris Literacy Project, Inc. All Around the World Story Time Program.

Community Partnerships: Detroit Edison Electrical Company agreed to provide in-kind donations by letting JOMLP use their presses to print brochures to handout at the State of Literacy Forum; Members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. -- Inkster Alumnae Chapter-- will serve on the fundraising and public relations planning committees for this forum; and members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. will serve on the logistic planning committee.

Continuing Activities: The State of Literacy Forum will kickoff a four-day read-a-thon that will start on Sunday, June 29th and end on Wednesday, July, 2nd in honor of National Literacy Day.


The State of Literacy Forum will raise awareness about illiteracy in the City of Inkster and it will give adults access to community literacy resources. By reaching out to our constituency, JOMLP will be able to unite and collaborate with for-profit and not-for-profit corporations in order to effectively advertise and provide available resources and services related to literacy to Inkster residents. Also, the read-a-thon will encourage children to read and encourage parents to read to their children.

Connecting Back to Vision

How does your strategy contribute to your vision for your campus and/or your community?

The “All Around the World Story Time Series” will encourage youth ages 6-8 to develop an appreciation for literature and to become lifelong learners.

In addition, the State of Literacy Forum will raise awareness surrounding the issue of illiteracy and encourage parental involvement.

Furthermore, if given the opportunity to serve on the Inkster Library Commission, I will have the opportunity to bring in much needed funds to support the Inkster Library.

Resources and skills you will need

What skills do you need for this approach?

I need to learn how to write grant proposals.