#WeCantWait - The Ed Equity Newsletter

Welcome to #WeCantWait – Our First Coalition with STL Kids Newsletter!

Hello Change Makers,

Welcome to the very first edition of #WeCantWait, an education equity newsletter from Coalition with STL Kids (CWSTLK). In this post, we’ll share our year-to-date successes, opportunities to get involved, important upcoming meetings, and the exciting launch of our new website.

OUR MISSION

At CWSTLK, we are a coalition of social justice organizations dedicated to improving child literacy and fostering educational equity in St. Louis. We believe that every child—regardless of their background—deserves the opportunity to succeed in school and life. Through community-driven initiatives, strategic partnerships, and consistent advocacy, we’re tearing down the barriers that prevent children in St. Louis from achieving their full potential.

OUR WINS SO FAR!

We’re proud of our strides this year in our fight for educational justice. Here are some of our biggest achievements so far:

1. Black Men Read Program Support: We helped the Black Men Read program strengthen and expand its literacy tutoring efforts. (Interested in volunteering? Sign up to tutor here).

2. Uniting Diverse Communities: We’ve convened people and organizations across the political spectrum as “Issue-crats,” united by shared human interests, to push for education reform.

3. Literacy as a Priority: Through our collective advocacy, the SLPS school board has officially made literacy a priority.

4. Missouri State Audit: We successfully advocated for the Missouri State Auditor to conduct a full audit of SLPS, a critical step toward accountability and improvement.

5. Media Momentum: Our work has received significant media attention, helping to raise awareness and engage more people in the fight for educational equity.

NEXT MEETINGS & EVENTS!

As always, there’s more work to be done. Here’s how you can join us in pushing for change:

IN THE NEWS:

Courtesy of STL Today

Our founders have been amplifying the conversation around educational reform. Keyon Watkins, Founder of Black Men Read, and Chester Asher, Founder of CWSTLK, recently penned an opinion piece in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch addressing the urgent need for literacy reform and education accountability in St. Louis.

Read the article her >>

OUR NEW WEBSITE!

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new website! This is your hub for everything CWSTLK—meeting schedules, committee updates, news, volunteer opportunities, and more.
Visit us at: [www.cwstlk.org]
Bookmark it, share it, and stay updated on how you can help drive change.

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED:

Whether you have just a few minutes to spare or a few hours to give, we have plenty of ways for you to support child literacy and educational equity in St. Louis. Here’s how:

• "I can dedicate some time."

  One hour every two weeks: Join one of our education equity committees and work directly on initiatives to improve St. Louis schools.
  Join here!

• "I don’t have much time."

  Ten minutes a week: Follow us on Instagram and Facebook and share our posts. Like, comment, and share, spread the word, and strengthen our movement.

• "I want to help with logistics."

  1 hour every two weeks: Join our administrative committee and help us send emails, organize events, and make important calls.
  Sign up here!