Georgia Power Supports Bridging Reading Gap and Digital Disparity

Did you know that one in six adults in Georgia have low literacy skills defined as reading at a 5^th grade level or below? Or that one in 15 adults living in Atlanta do not have a high school diploma?

These are just a couple of staggering statistics from Literacy Action – the oldest and largest adult basic education nonprofit in the Southeastern United States.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 only made this divide sharper when students and professionals were sent home to work and study for an extended amount of time.

According to the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Georgia ranks among the lowest in the country in digital equity – with more than one-third of the state’s 230,200 unemployed individuals lacking the basic technical skills they need to be successful in the job market. The disparity is sharpest among people of color – specifically African Americans.

Approximately 36% of African American families do not have access to a computer or broadband internet in their homes – a crippling deficit when many are still working and learning in virtual and hybrid environments, and 75% of available jobs require some level digital skills.

“For the adults we work with, we know there is no quick fix to erase these disparities,” said Sandeep Gill, executive director for Literacy Action. “However, we are making a difference in these students’ lives by offering tuition-free classes in adult education, ESL, digital literacy, GED preparation, and family literacy, as well as vocational trainings that lead to livable wage jobs.”

Despite the challenges presented by a pivot to a hybrid education model, Literacy Action awarded 1,198 program completion certificates last year. Recent data from the organization shows that 96% of employed students report improved work performance due to their programming, and 85% of parents said helping their children and grandchildren with homework and remote learning was easier after completing Literacy Action courses.

As a proud supporter of the nonprofit, Georgia Power Senior Vice President of Regional Affairs & Community Engagement Bentina Terry recently spoke at Literacy Action’s 6^th Annual Breakfast to discuss overcoming obstacles to economic equity.

Joined by a panel of Atlanta business and community leaders, they discussed the difficulties that students of all ages have faced since the onset of the pandemic, as well as the role their respective organizations are playing in addressing literacy gaps across the state.

“There’s a quote from Frederick Douglass that says, ‘once you learn to read, you’ll forever be free,’” said Terry, who also leads the community investment team for the social justice initiative at Georgia Power. “Literacy is all about equity, and throughout the years, illiteracy has been used as a tool to oppress people.”

To help overcome the literacy gap and racial equity disparities in Georgia, Georgia Power and the Georgia Power Foundation announced a $75 million commitment over five years to help advance racial equity and social justice efforts. Announced in May, the commitment is being distributed over four initiatives in education equality, criminal justice, economic empowerment, and energy equity. 

“All four of our areas of engagement in our communities relate back to a need for literacy,” she said. “Our team has identified four clusters across the state with low reading levels to see what impact Georgia Power can make and to be a model for moving the needle on education equity.”

Terry went on further to say that, “Without the ability to read and participate fully in our economy, it’s hard to be productive. Our economy is tied to the literacy of our citizens.”

To support the mission of Literacy Action, Georgia Power regularly provides financial support to their programming as well as service at the board of directors’ level. 

To learn more about Literacy Action, click here.

To watch the annual breakfast panel in its entirety, click here.