Multicultural Dyslexia Awareness Initiative

“With dyslexia, we don’t have a knowledge gap; we have an action gap.”
– Dr. Sally Shaywitz

In 2013, the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity launched the Multicultural Dyslexia Awareness Initiative (YCDC-MDAI), a yearlong outreach to the diverse community of dyslexics. The goal: to raise awareness about dyslexia to communities of color through dyslexia-focused advocacy, education and knowledge sharing with families, educators and policymakers.

Dyslexia affects one in five people. It crosses racial, ethnic and socioeconomic lines, and with proper instruction and accommodations it can be remediated. While there are numerous curricula and programs designed to improve reading, dyslexia is often overlooked when searching for causes of illiteracy. Even though it is by far the most common reading disability, many of those with dyslexia remain undiagnosed and untreated. This is especially true in public schools and even more so in African-American and Latino communities.

Children who cannot read are marginalized and struggle profoundly. Many drop out of school and face dismal futures. However, with proper identification and intervention, this is preventable. To raise awareness, YCDC’s MDAI team set off on a nationwide education tour consisting of town-hall-style meetings, university engagements, meetings with lawmakers and a presentation to the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, D.C.

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