Oakland Literacy Council wrapped up its 40th anniversary with record-setting attendance and revenue last Thursday at its annual Ex Libris fundraising dinner, where bestselling author Angie Kim told the crowd that she’s proof that it is never too late for adults to change their trajectory and pursue their dreams.
NYT Bestselling author Angie Kim was the keynote speaker of Oakland Literacy’s annual Ex Libris fundraising dinner held November 14th at the Village Club in Bloomfield Hills
“We are incredibly grateful for our supporters of adult literacy,” said Lisa Machesky, Executive Director of Oakland Literacy Council. “Their generosity supports our mission of delivering one-on-one tutoring to adult learners that is flexible and customizable to their needs in reading, math, GED preparation, English-as-a-Second-Language, and digital literacy.”
Tutor Ann Manning (left) and adult learner Enam Mirzad (right) shared their story of learning English and preparing for the GED after he fled Afghanistan in 2021.
The crowd heard from one of those learners, Enam Mirzad, 29, who fled Afghanistan in the fall of 2021 during a U.S. military evacuation that happened so quickly Enam did not have time to bring documentation of his education. “Everything here was so hard because I didn’t know English…and I’m shy,” Enam said. With help from his tutor, Ann Manning, Enam learned to speak English, completed a tech support class with Google, and is now preparing for his high-school equivalency exam, so he can study information technology in college.
The keynote speaker, author Angie Kim, shared her own experience as a preteen immigrant from South Korea who didn’t know a word of English. She warned against the danger of assuming someone lacks intelligence because they cannot speak, a danger she wove into her latest novel, Happiness Falls, whose main character is nonverbal. Kim also noted that after earning a law degree from Harvard, she turned away from practicing law to pursue her passion for writing. Today, her novels have been translated into many languages.
Oakland Literacy Council also celebrated the dedication of Robert Gaylor, who founded the Council 40 years ago, and recognized the transformative leadership of outgoing Executive Director, Lisa Machesky. Oakland Literacy would also like to thank the sponsors who made such a magical evening happen.
