2026 Presenters
CONFERENCE DATES: March 11-14, 2026
Key Note Speakers
Ameer Baraka
Deon L. Butler
Altheria Caldera, PhD
Danielle “Nell” Thompson, PhD & T’Shaka Bailey
Julie Washington, PhD
Kareem Weaver
Black & Dyslexic Podcast Co-Host Winifred Winston and LeDerick Horne
UNMUTED: Black Men, Dyslexia & the Power of Naming the Truth
Documentary: Left Behind
Screening: Thursday, March 12, 2026 | 6:30 PM
Norfolk State University Theatre
Free and open to all registered conference attendees.
LIFT EVERY VOICE: PARENT DAY - Saturday, March 14th
A dedicated, full-day experience designed exclusively for parents of children who struggle with reading, writing, language, and/or dyslexia.
Parent Day is free and open to all registered conference attendees, and free to parents who register for the Lift Every Voice Parent Day exclusively.
Parents will receive:
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Hands-on literacy tools
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Advocacy and navigation training
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Dyslexia awareness and structured literacy supports
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BLPN community-building sessions
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Strategies to empower their child’s literacy journey
Parent Day is rooted in empowering families, elevating parent voice, and building a united literacy movement across the country.
Breakout Sessions - Presenters
LaNorris Alexander
Hope From the Abyss
Katrina Allen-White
Community Literacy Tutors: Impacting Literacy One Kitchen Table at a Time
Nadiyah Ali
Building Language Fluency Through Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction
Nicole Austin
More Than Storytime: Addressing the Confidence Gap in Black Family Literacy Engagement
Kari Baker & Melissa Edwards
From Error to Insight: Decoding the Reasons Behind Spelling Mistakes
Tasean Baldwin
Honoring Cultural Wealth: Black Family Literacy Practices and School Partnerships
Thelma Ramsey Bryant & Janet Pedrazzi
From Fidelity to Fluency: Coaching Secondary Teacher Forward
Kellie Bynum-Lathan & Rebecca Holloway
Black Girls, Books, and Belonging-Community Book Club Making an Impact
Altheria Caldera & Elisabeth Ivy
Using Picture Books to Teach Critical Literacy in the Elementary Classroom
Qiana Anngel Daniels
Power in the Pages: Parents as Literacy Builders
Zacheriah Davis
Dangerous Learning: Literacy, Truth, and Liberation through Curriculum
Diane Dragan & Caroline Durham
The IEP: If You Fix It, I Can’t Fight It
Jason Epting
The Power of Literacy Leadership: Activate Your Avatar
Tiffeni Fontno & Ryan LaBarrie
Mapping Black Literacy for Collective Power
Cyrene Gibson-Crooms & Graziela Lobato-Creekmur
Diaspora & Dialect: A Converging Conversation for Educators of English
Jewel Hale, Jr. & Jaeidah Flowers
Overcoming Undiagnosed Dyslexia: An African American Male Journey in Higher Education
Monique Harris & Re’Shaun Blake
Research-Practice Partnerships: Building Black Brilliance from the Ground Up
Katie Hawley
Illiteracy & Black Community: A Public Health Issue with a Proven Solution
Jennifer Howard
Using Black Historical Picture Books to Build Language
Vanessa Howard
Breaking the Silence: Dyslexia and Equity in Black Communities
Charrai Hunter
Reflective Coaching & Fluency Feedback A Bridge between Complex Text and Comprehension
David Hurford & Alex Fender
How Legislation and Case Law Shape Delivery of Services to Struggling Readers
Demetrius Lancaster
Technology + Touch: Human-Centered Literacy Innovation in Black Communities
Elizabeth Landry, Katrina Evans & Tanji Wyatt
Sounds to Structure: Morphology in Spelling for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Classrooms
Maria Lawson-Davenport & Jonita Shabazz
Building Literacy from the Ground Up: Community-Based Training for Kindergarten Readiness
Carla Powell Lewis
Words That Liberate: Using Intentional Literacy Strategies to Elevate Black Learners
Tanji Reed Marshall
Tag, We’re IT! Reclaiming Representational Balance in Literacy Materials
Jerome Mayoral, Karin Hodges & Detra Watson
Misdiagnosed and Miseducated: The Literacy Crisis in SEL
Jacinta McCants & Christine Kellum
Boots on the Ground: Literacy Implementation Action Labs for Black Brilliance
Joy McIntosh-Ragland & Rasheeda Polk
Parent Workshop on Early Reading Skills
Keshia Megie-Thompson & Michaela R. Ozier
Boots on the (Play)ground: Literacy Liberation in Early Childhood Spaces
Amy Murdoch, Keshia Megie-Thompson & Michaela Ozier
The Power of Early Intervention, Implementing the Science of Reading in Preschool
Debbie Meyer
Parent Teacher Conferences & IEP Meetings: Role Playing
Tonya Obamoh
From Seeds to Harvest: Coaching for Black Literacy Growth!
Tamia Peterson
Centering Black Brilliance in the Science of Reading
Zedeka Poindexter
From Analysis to Applause: How Spoken Word Builds Literacy
La’Brea Pringle
J.U.M.P. Into Lit: A Family Workshop for Joyful, Intentional Reading
Jasmine Rogers & Chantel Thompson
Linguistic Justice In Action: Black Language in Structured Literacy Classrooms
Jerry Samuels
Clearing the Chasm: Addressing Dyslexia and Learning Differences in Black Learners Through Equity, Data, and Intervention
Jeanne Schopf
Words that Stick: Explicit Vocabulary Instruction with AI
Monique Smith
Culturally Responsive Instructional Leadership for Equitable Literacy Outcomes
TeQuila Stamps, Tandalaya White, Amonaquenette Parker & Tamar Ovedje
Clock That Tea: Culturally Responsive Literacy as a Path to Community Wellness
Tina Starks
Efficacy and Joy in Literacy for Black Brilliance
Shannon Stocks
Beyond the Labels: Exploring How Ecomaps Connect Literacy, Health, and Community
Catina Taylor
When Parents Lead: Reclaiming Literacy Beyond the Classroom
Quinn Terry
Families, Phonics, and Freedom: Reimagining Literacy as Liberation and Legacy
Yunekia Thornton
Bridging the Gap Between Parents and Educators: A Practical Parent-Powered Approach to Reading Success
Sakendra Turner
Rooted in Relevance: Cross-Curricular Literacy That Reflects & Respects Black Voices
Cedric Washington
Culture = Intelligence = Behavior: Engaging Students through Cultural Relevance in Literacy
Detra Watson
Healing-Centered Literacy: Reclaiming Black Children and Families’ Stories and Support
Sylvester White
Reclaiming Literacy Through Culturally Responsive, Historically-Rooted Teaching
Lisa Wilson & Samantha Thompson
Language as Identity: Supporting Early Literacy Through Black English and Black Languages
Kheshana Woods
Young, Black and Gifted: Looking Back to Catapult Forward