Our Commitment to Being an Antiracist Organization
Antiracism is defined as "the policy or practice of opposing racism and promoting racial tolerance." Zinc Reading Labs is committed to being an antiracist organization. Here's how we're doing this.
Representation
We believe that having students read work by people who are different than they are is crucial to opening their minds and hearts.
Writers of diverse races and ideologies author the texts on our site.
In our book excerpts, we don't only highlight the work of white Americans and Europeans. We feature the works of diverse authors, including Langston Hughes, Frederick Douglass, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Sojourner Truth, Toni Morrison and more.
We ensure that at least 50% of our vocabulary images use BIPOC photographs.
Of our Close Reading video instructors, 60% identify as BIPOC.
Awareness
Did you know that the last time the National Assessment of Educational Progress assessed African-American 12th graders' literacy, only 17% had reached reading "proficiency?" We're working to change this and spread awareness about it.
Zinc founding team member and head of strategy Colette Coleman recently published an article in the NAACP's magazine The Crisis on the literacy struggles within the African-American community, and how to ameliorate them.
Leadership
We strive to ensure that Zinc's decision-makers reflect the students and educators they serve.
40% of Zinc's leadership team identify as people of color, and 60% identify as women.
Discomfort
We believe in having difficult, honest conversations.
We look for content that can provoke such deep thought and dialogue.
Zinc stands in solidarity with those calling for change.
We stand with the Black community, as well as all of the students and educators who are hurting right now, in fighting against racism, intolerance, and injustice. We stand firm in our commitment to use education—and literacy in particular—to open students' minds and hearts and to equalize access to information and prosperity.