Tag: Barbershop Books

Celebrating Our Community: Highlights from the Barber Appreciation Dinner

Earlier this month, Barbershop Books gathered with barber partners from the Philadelphia area for a Barber Appreciation Dinner. Over plates of good food and plenty of smiles, we celebrated the barbers who transform their shops into fun reading spaces for Black boys in their communities. Their commitment helps thousands of boys build confidence, discover new … Continued

Black Philanthropy Month: Celebrating a Legacy of Generosity

August is Black Philanthropy Month, a time to uplift and celebrate the long-standing tradition of Black giving. Whether through church donations, community organizing, or supporting youth programs, Black communities have always invested deeply in building brighter futures — often giving more generously relative to income than other groups. The numbers tell a powerful story: This … Continued

Barbershop Books Awarded $200K NewSchools Grant to Advance Reading So Lit Platform

Barbershop Books, a national literacy nonprofit dedicated to inspiring Black boys and other vulnerable children to read for fun, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $200,000 learning solutions grant from NewSchools Venture Fund to advance the development and evaluation of Reading So Lit, a groundbreaking reading identity development tool for grades PK-5. This strengths-based reading intervention helps teachers create personalized reading experiences that recognize the whole child, their families, and the communities in which they live. It also accelerates reading achievement by improving social and emotional elements of reading, which research has shown to accelerate reading achievement among students experiencing poverty.

Barbershop Books & The Elevate Prize Foundation

New York City-Based Barbershop Books Recognized as a Top 10 CNN Hero DuringCNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute for Work Toward Early Childhood Literacy. Barbershop Books to Potentially Receive Up to $50K in Matched Donations fromthe Elevate Prize Foundation Through January 5, 2024 New York City, N.Y. – (Dec. 10, 2023) – New York City-based Barbershop … Continued

Meet Barbershop Books partner Tommie Clardy Jr.! 

Tommie Clardy Jr. is the proud owner of Tommie’s Barber & Beauty, nestled in the vibrant city of Tucson, Arizona. With a remarkable 32-year career as a barber under his belt, Tommie’s journey is deeply intertwined with the local community. Tommie has been a Barbershop Books partner since 2019. Reflecting on the program Tommie said, … Continued

Man in blue jersey with a thumbs up standing in a barbershop

Meet Michael Blake, Our 10th Anniversary Host

Barbershop Books is celebrating a decade of helping the babies read 🎉 We invite you to celebrate this tremendous milestone with us on Wednesday, November 8th, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York. Purchase your tickets here. Join us as we honor early literacy advocate and Barbershop Books … Continued

Blue and yellow background with stars. Photo of a black man sitting on a stool looking at the camera. Text reads Host

Meet Gregg Walker, Our 10th Anniversary Honoree

Barbershop Books is celebrating a decade of helping the babies read 🎉 We invite you to celebrate this tremendous milestone with us on Wednesday, November 8th, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York. Purchase your tickets here. Join us as we honor the early literacy advocate and Barbershop … Continued

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Meet Jeff Lindor, Our 10th Anniversary Honoree

Barbershop Books is celebrating a decade of helping the babies read 🎉 We invite you to celebrate this tremendous milestone with us on Wednesday, November 8th, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York. Purchase your tickets here. Join us as we honor early literacy advocate and Barbershop Books … Continued

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Meet Julie Jensen, Our 10th Anniversary Honoree

Barbershop Books is celebrating a decade of helping the babies read 🎉 We invite you to celebrate this tremendous milestone with us on Wednesday, November 8th, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York. Purchase your tickets here. Join us as we honor early literacy advocate and Barbershop Books … Continued

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Barbershop Books 10th Anniversary Celebration

Barbershop Books is celebrating a decade of inspiring Black boys and other vulnerable children to read for fun!⁠ Our award-winning programming has expanded reading opportunities for thousands of children nationwide. We invite you to celebrate this tremendous milestone with us on Wednesday, November 8th, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Museum of the City … Continued

Blue and yellow background with words: Celebrating 10 years