This Dyslexia Awareness Month, we bring you a powerful conversation with two nationally recognized literacy advocates: Ameer Baraka has been a leading voice in national criminal justice reform; similarly, former Detroit Lion Deon Butler became a champion for Michigan’s literacy legislation. Both men were failed by schools that never taught them to read. In adulthood, they reclaimed their stories — Ameer in Undiagnosed: The Ugly Side of Dyslexia, and Deon in The Gift & Curse: One Man’s Journey with Dyslexia. Their voices matter not because they’re rare, but because most like them never get the chance to speak, let alone lead.Parents for Reading Justice has teamed up with FULCRUM’s Kareem Weaver to bring you “Literacy Now, Together,” a podcast mini-series that takes a closer look at the reading crisis and explores real solutions with literacy leaders and families across the country. In this powerful episode, Kareem Weaver (FULCRUM) and Brett Tingley (Parents for Reading Justice) sit down with Ameer Baraka, actor, author and dyslexia advocate, and Deon Butler, former NFL player and author of The Gift & The Curse, for a deeply honest and moving conversation about overcoming illiteracy, breaking the pipeline of poor schooling to incarceration, and reclaiming ownership of their futures through learning to read. Ameer shares how he turned his experience with undiagnosed dyslexia and time in prison into a mission to teach literacy and pro-social values to incarcerated men, while Deon recounts his journey with hidden dyslexia through college and the NFL, and finally learning to read through Orton-Gillingham instruction. Together with their hosts, they spotlight how children in marginalized communities are especially vulnerable to low academic outcomes when early reading difficulties go unnoticed or unaddressed at school, emphasizing the urgent need for trained teachers, early intervention, informed families, and equitable access to evidence-based instruction. Resources:The Life I Chose: The Streets Lied to Me, by Ameer Barakahttps://www.amazon.com/Life-Chose-Streets-Lied-Me/dp/0578155710Undiagnosed: The Ugly Side of Dyslexia, by Ameer Barakahttps://www.amazon.com/Undiagnosed-Ugly-Dyslexia-Ameer-Baraka/dp/1970146184The Gift & The Curse: One Man's Journey with Dyslexia, by Deon Butlerhttps://www.amazon.com/Gift-Curse-Mans-Journey-Dyslexia-ebook/dp/B0F4Q1VNV2Socials:Ameer BarakaInstagram / @ameerbarakaLinkedIn / @ameer-baraka-968183149X / @AMEERBARAKAFacebook / @ameer.baraka/Deon Butler:Instagram / @thedyslexic_kingFacebook / @deon.l.butler____________________________________________________________Parents for Reading Justice has teamed up with FULCRUM’s Kareem Weaver to bring you "Literacy Now, Together" — a podcast mini-series that takes a closer look at the reading crisis and explores real solutions with literacy leaders and families across the country. About Brett Tingley: https://parentsforreadingjustice.org/brett-tingley-bioAbout Kareem Weaver: https://tinyurl.com/KareemWeaverBioAbout Parents for Reading Justice: https://linktr.ee/parentsforreadingjusticeAbout FULCRUM:https://linktr.ee/fulcrumliteracy Join us on our socials, watch our documentary, take our Masterclass, register your parent group, pay it forward, and DONATE!DISCLAIMER: All information in this video is presented as our shared experience only, to help others understand our efforts and experience. Nothing presented herein should be construed as offering legal advice. We encourage everyone to seek professional legal advice for their circumstances. We welcome you to share your experiences with us on all matters relating to dyslexia as we are continuously learning new information to help push our cause to help as many people with dyslexia as possible. Thank you for your continued support!#literacynow #readinginstruction #education #awareness #teacher #teaching #fyp #change