Ayesha Curry Headlining Wednesday Afternoon Program

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Stories can move us and mobilize communities to action — and it will take the entire village to end the literacy crisis.

A year after partnering with the Children’s Literacy Project to create SENTENCED: A Call-to-Action Documentary, Ayesha and Stephen Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. is now making a historic investment to expand high-dosage tutoring to 10,000 students in Oakland. In this special Wednesday afternoon LightningX conversation, learn how they’re leveraging community-building and storytelling to help close the literacy gap — and how we can build on this movement nationwide.

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Ayesha Curry is a renowned restaurateur, chef, 2x New York Times bestselling author, actress, producer, and entrepreneur. A Forbes “30 Under 30” honoree, she is the Founder & CEO of Sweet July, her lifestyle and culinary brand celebrating women and BIPOC creators that has grown to include a magazine, a production company, skincare inspired by her Jamaican heritage, a book imprint, and a café. Ayesha and her husband Stephen co-founded Eat. Learn. Play. to unleash the potential of every child and make a positive impact for generations to come.

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With a background in film production, arts, and media, Lucy brings a unique perspective to the literacy movement. She leads the Children’s Literacy Project’s efforts to make early childhood literacy a national priority, leveraging media and narrative-driven advocacy. A co-producer of SENTENCED, Lucy also serves as a reading mentor in Los Angeles, ensuring her advocacy is grounded in firsthand experience.

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Dr. Johnson-Trammell has served Oakland USD for over 25 years in various roles. Now in her 8th year as superintendent, her work has led to increased achievement at all levels, with graduation rates increasing to nearly 75%. She led the development of a nationally recognized Community Schools model and a celebrated pandemic response – from computer and internet access to community-based literacy tutoring and much more.

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In her role at Nickelodeon, Makeda evaluates the most effective ways to reach diverse target audiences through innovative research methodologies. Previously at Sesame Workshop, she explored how current and emerging digital media platforms could provide quality educational material to children and families. She is a proud advisory board member of Raising Good Gamers, Determined to Educate, and 100 Billion Meals.

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