About W.G.Y.C – We Got You Covered

We Got You Covered (WGYC)

Is a not-for-profit organization developed out of sheer desperation to save lives through literacy.
Boys Walking Into Manhood Project

Black Boys Who Can Read
WGYC - Why We Got Started
Northeastern Illinois University
Interview - WZRD Radio Station

Mrs. Cathleen Schandelmeier invited to speak on air about WGYC after our brief encounter during Career Day at Collins High School where she is a wonderful english teacher. I was able to share WGYC'S beginnings and why we exist. Unbeknownst to me she started recording, so I'd like to share with everyone what I shared with her and her listeners.

Black Boys Read
WGYC Supporting - We Will Chicago
Experimental Station

When you look at this picture it appears that these two people know one another and or may even be family members partaking in a good day of shopping for something. But this can’t be further from the truth. These two individuals are perfect strangers. This young man was a third grader who didn’t want to participate in the book fair that was being held at his elementary school. He attempted to leave several times but his older sister drug him back into the gym as he yelled out, “I Don’t Want No Stinkin Book.” I walked over to him to calm him down and find out why he was so adamant about refusing to select some of the hundreds of free books we had for his age group. So, this picture is an actual depiction of two perfect strangers coming together.

NEEDS~VS~WANTS

One of the participants of Boys Walking Into their Manhood Project and I were engaged in a conversation about the importance of physical fitness when he shared that he could do 50 push-ups. I encouraged him and said that his accomplishment was great. But to my amazement he said, "yeah, but I need to get to 100 push-ups." I said, "why?" He went on to say, because my brother will buy me a new pair of shoes. I looked down at his shoes and realized that WGYC needed to do something.
OUR BOYS NEED NEW SHOES TO WEAR TO SCHOOL!
ARE YOU WILLING TO HELP?

Otus IDEAcon Panelist
Implicit biases - I Don’t See Color
The Stool Has Three Legs
Colorism is Alive and Well in Our Classrooms!

Otus - IDEAcon Panelist
Equity-minded policy, Trauma-Informed Practice, and Racial Inclusion
As educational stakeholders, we often talk about equity-minded policy, trauma-informed practice, and racial inclusion as separate issues and strategies. But research and experience have demonstrated that these important spheres intersect and work together in powerful and important ways.
This panel discussed the research that describes how these connect; discussed the policy and law that connects these spheres; and provided educators with strategies for a comprehensively addressing and providing a space informed by equity-mindedness, trauma-informed practice, and racial inclusion.

52 Phenomenal Women Campaign
Serve, Protect and Educate
Amy Boyle - Oprah's photographer

Eve Ewing - Ghosts In the School Yard
Book Signing with Eve Ewing of the University of Chicago
She is an American sociologist, author, poet and visual artist from Chicago.

Racism and School Closing on Chicago south side

Jawanza Kunjufu - renowned author, educator, and publisher

Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu is a renowed writer, educator and publisher who has written over 38 books. He has dedicated his life's work to the education of children but more specfically, African American boys, young men and adult men. Jawanza is also my friend. I grew up watching him as he preached hundreds of times in the pulpit trying to teach the importances how we raise our daughters BUT just loving our sons, consequently leaving them void of the tools they need to succeed.

BOOK GIVE AWAY - John Pirie Fine Arts and Academic Center

One of the participants of Boys Walking Into their Manhood Project and I were engaged in a conversation about the importance of physical fitness when he shared that he could do 50 push-ups. I encouraged him and said that his accomplishment was great. But to my amazement he said, yeah but I need to get to 100 push-ups." I said, "why?" He said, because my brother will buy me a new pair of shoes. I looked down at his shoes and realized that WGYC needed to do something.
OUR BOYS NEED NEW SHOES TO WEAR TO SCHOOL!
ARE YOU WILLING TO HELP?

Black Boys Read
WGYC Supporting - We Will Chicago
Experimental Station

At the time of this picture, I was a doctoral student at DePaul University and working on my dissertation. My research was centered around poor literacy scores of fourth grade African American boys consequently, our chance encounter hit home for me. Our meeting reinforced the current data that illustrates that African American boys’ literacy rate is at a dismal 14% and that these youth scored the lowest in literacy of any demographics who took standardized tests. My research noted countless impediments to these youths’ success in literacy. These impediments included suspensions, expulsions, being routed to special education classes, poverty, socioeconomic status, the environment inside and outside of their homes, and the consistent implications and projections of race and gender for African American boys. Unfortunately, many of these youths are ‘paying with their lives.’ As Carter G. Woodson suggested, “to handicap a student by teaching him that his black face is a curse and that his struggle to change his condition is hopeless, can catapult him into the abyss of illiteracy, suspensions, expulsions, and incarceration.