Oakland native's nonprofit helping children who struggle reading at grade level
OAKLAND -- An Oakland native is raising literacy rates in Oakland public schools, where standardized tests show only about a third of students are reading at grade level.
Long before she became a school teacher, principal or nonprofit founder, Sabrina "Bri" Moore was hiding a secret.
"It's like being in prison, " Moore said.
She could read sentences but not really comprehend them.
"I never got to the part where I was reading to learn until I was 30, " Moore said.
At the time, she worked at AT&T in sales, and her manager wanted to give her a promotion.
"At some point, I had a huge tantrum and said, 'I can't read!'" Moore recalled. "And she said, 'What?'"
That manager helped Moore turn a new page in her life.
"Every day after work, she would work with me. She bought a dictionary, a thesaurus; she taught me how to read," Moore said.
At the urging of her manager, Moore began attending college — Today, she is Dr. Sabrina Moore. She earned her doctorate in education from Cal State East Bay.
And in 2019 Moore founded an East Oakland-based literacy nonprofit for students of color, called 3Ls for literacy, leadership and liberation.
"As long as I'm alive and kids can't read, I'm doing this work, " she declared.
Moore's nonprofit partners with about 60 students, their families, teachers and principals in four schools in the Sobrante Park neighborhood. It includes Madison Park primary and upper, Lodestar and Lionel Wilson.
Students go to free tutoring, virtual reading labs and homework club for transitional kindergarten to 12th grade. Saturday mornings are family reading days with their parents.
"There's something about the magic and energy of seeing kids reading, " Moore explained.
She said every third through fifth grader who has gone through the program has advanced to reading at grade level in 90 days.
And six in 10 of all 3Ls students now read at or above grade level.
Josue Payes, a third grader, worked with tutors like Dr. Moore's sister, who is a teacher. His mother, Kenia Payes, is thrilled at his progress.
"We read the Bible every night and he has his level Bible," said Payes. "Now, he can read to us instead of us to him so I am super excited for that."
And Irene Garcia credits Dr. Moore for the big change in her third grade son, Dominic Ramos, who fell behind early in the pandemic in virtual kindergarten.
"An angel. Awesome, "Garcia said of Moore.
Then, turning to her son, Garcia added, "Even for him being able to send a message and I being able to send a message back and knowing he can fully understand is huge for us. "
The sense of accomplishment is also huge for Dr. Moore.
Her own mother had encouraged her to love reading as a child. But she was killed before seeing the success in Dr. Moore's adult years. Moore's nonprofit, 3Ls, is a love letter to her mother.
"I think she would say, "Breena, I'm so proud of you. Breena, you did it," Moore said.
So, for giving students the gift of literacy through 3Ls, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Dr. Sabrina Moore.
Grants and private donations fund 3Ls, and its paid tutors have other full-time jobs in education.
Dr. Moore said 3Ls plans to next start working with schools in Oakland's Elmhurst neighborhood.