“I have known all my life that building and strengthening communities is one of the best ways to help children, my own and everyone else's. The effect of community on children is now borne out by all kinds of current research."- Mimi Levin Lieber, LINC’s Founder
REFLECT, RESOLVE, REAFFIRM Universal Literacy is Possible
Mimi’s steadfast resolve, leadership, and commitment guided LINC to advocate for education justice and develop a robust network of support for families across New York City. She worked with us until her last breath. As New York emerges from the pandemic and begins the task of rebuilding a more equitable city, this work is more important than it has ever been in LINC’s 25-year history.
As we REFLECT on the hardships and the loss we experienced this past year, we find comfort in our families’ resilience and Mimi’s RESOLVE. Her love of children, and her belief that early literacy is the foundation for all learning, continues to guide the urgency of our work. Quality early learning ensures better social, educational, health, and economic outcomes, making it a moral imperative to ensure all children share in the benefits of early literacy. The time, energy, and resources we invest in our children now, when it matters most, will prevent future inequities.
Any milestone anniversary is a combination of celebration and reassessment. LINC’s 25th anniversary prompted us to look back at our beginnings and reference our Certificate of Incorporation. Mimi’s vision is as valid today as it was prescient then. She envisioned LINC as a network, building systems among community literacy resources at the neighborhood level and engaging people to make literacy visible and accessible for all children.
Despite the unprecedented challenges of the past few years, LINC remains committed to this vision day in and day out. In 2021, we completed the first year of our Strategic Plan, which renews and reinvigorates our emphasis on public awareness and collaboration, tenets that are so central to our purpose.
Our board and staff alike have devoted considerable energy to renewing the essence of LINC, thoughtfully considering what we will look like moving forward and how the lessons of the pandemic can be incorporated into our model. We’ve REAFFIRMED our commitment to creating a world that guarantees universal early literacy, just as Mimi would want us to do.
We are so grateful you stand with us and share our RESOLVE. Our children deserve nothing less.
Register now for LINC's latest virtual programs at www.lincnyc.org/onlineprograms.