More literacy leads to more learning which leads to more opportunity. Literacy transforms us and helps us fly to new heights of success, personal fulfillment, and engagement with others. Just as often, literacy is how we change direction and adapt. It helps build the persistence and ability to navigate a new path such as reaching for a new opportunity or moving forward after a setback.

Literacy Alliance of Northeast Florida

It is for those reasons that a hummingbird serves as the basis of our brand. Hummingbirds often represent independence, freedom, and optimism. At the same time, they are symbols of persistence and agility in the face of challenges.

Our hummingbird begins with the pages of a book as tail feathers. Like tail feathers, literacy steers and guides us. But literacy is about more than reading a book. That may be where we start, but with literacy to guide our direction, it is from there, like our hummingbird, that we transform and fly.

Working with its tail feathers, the wings of a hummingbird are uniquely designed to do more than allow them to fly. Flying is not always about reaching new heights. Hummingbird wings help them change course and fly in all directions – including backwards! Such adaptable capability provides lessons for all of us in our literacy journey. We all have or will face setbacks as we learn and grow. When our students face such challenges, we encourage them and assure them that such difficulties are often normal and perfectly ok! Sometimes you just have to fly backwards to be able to try again. The ability of a hummingbird to do so, like any learner, signifies a degree of agility when it comes to changing one’s path. It is persistence in our learning, like a hummingbird’s persistence in navigating flowers for food, that ultimately allows us to pursue and fulfill our goals and dreams.

We are all members of the Literacy Alliance. Regardless of our role as student, teacher, tutor, supporter or advocate, we are all learners and all help each other improve our literacy so that we can fly not just to new heights, but change directions if needed. The Literacy Alliance is where opportunity takes flight for you as well as our friends, family and neighbors in our community.