Women. Literacy. Empowerment.

WE LEARN (Women Expanding Literacy Education Action Resource Network) is a community promoting women’s literacy as a tool that fosters empowerment and equity for women.

WE LEARN seeks to build a just society and healthy communities. Therefore, we focus on education, specifically the basic literacies women need to gain access to systems of power and to achieve personal and community empowerment. Women’s pursuit of multiple literacies gives visibility to our experiences as women, sustains our on-going desire to learn, encourages critical thinking, and provides the support and information necessary for reflection, understanding, and action to change our current situations.
 
WE LEARN engages a diverse community of adult basic education and literacy learners and alumni, educators, researchers and professional women, community activists and anyone dedicated to moving our mission forward.

Women's Perspectives: A Journal of Writing and Art by Adult Learners

Women's Perspectives has been published annually since 2006. Each theme-based issue showcases original writings and artwork by adult literacy/basic education students across all levels. The WP Committee prepares pre-writing activities and lesson plans to guide student writers and their teachers to develop and submit quality writing.

Student writers have also become teachers and inspiration to other students. Shellie Walters (2nd from left) teamed up with students from Julie's Family Learning Center to present a workshop on student writing at the National College Transition Conference in Providence RI. They shared their stories of writing for Women's Perspectives and reading their stories at the Student Writing Celebrations held during WE LEARN conferences. Mentored by the writing teacher at Julie's (2nd from the right), they offered examples of how to use writing prompts and editing tools to perfect their writing. Shellie is a student leader and WE LEARN Board Member.

Women's Perspectives is our signature project and showcases writing and original artwork by adult learners. The publication comes out annually and focuses on a specific theme.