Literacy & Justice for All Podcast: New Podcast Confronts Literacy Crisis as a Social Justice Issue

Subscribe to the Literacy & Justice for All Podcast today and join the national conversation reshaping literacy and learning for every child. 

ATLANTA, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Illiteracy is not only an educational challenge; it is one of the greatest threats to equity in our society. This belief is at the heart of the new Literacy & Justice for All Podcast, produced by the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy and available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Hosted by Dr. Ryan Lee-James the podcast brings together researchers, educators, policymakers, and community leaders to explore what it truly takes to ensure every child has the basic human right to read.

The inspiration for the Literacy & Justice for All (LJFA) Podcast comes from the children and families served directly through the Atlanta Speech School and the educators, healthcare providers, and caregivers served through the Rollins Center and its Cox Campus. From the third trimester of pregnancy onward, children are developing the cognitive, language, and literacy abilities that shape the trajectory of their lives. Adults play a central role in this process, and the podcast was born out of the belief that when all child-facing adults have the knowledge and skills to support literacy, every child can become who they are meant to be.

The literacy crisis is not simply an education issue. Illiteracy is a critical public health and social justice challenge. Too often, the discussion stays limited to classrooms and families, overlooking the broader forces that shape children's outcomes: from higher education and government to public health and local communities. The LJFA Podcast broadens the conversation, to explore how every sector plays a role in shaping the future of literacy.

What makes the podcast distinct are the voices and perspectives it lifts.  In one episode, Dr. Margie Gillis, renowned literacy expert and founder of Literacy How, reflects on her four decades of teaching and teacher training, underscoring the need for evidence-based instruction to replace outdated practices. In another episode, recorded live at LitLink, Georgia's literacy conference dedicated to classroom teachers, experts including Dr. Lisa Domke, Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Dr. Shurita Thomas-Tate, and Dr. Ginger Collins share strategies, resources, and scholarship that educators can put into practice immediately. Their exchange captures the collective energy of a movement dedicated to closing opportunity gaps and eliminating illiteracy entirely.

The series also highlights personal leadership journeys. Ray James, Head of School at The Boyce L. Ansley School, a tuition-free, private school in Atlanta that serves children who have experienced or are currently experiencing homelessness, speaks candidly about building conditions where children and families can thrive, reminding listeners that literacy is about more than decoding text. It is about cultivating confidence, community, and agency in the lives of children.

Together, these conversations highlight why the LJFA Podcast is more than content. It is a vehicle for change. By offering knowledge at no cost, it empowers every adult to take part in dismantling illiteracy and inequity. Cox Campus, which now serves more than 385,000 Members in all 50 states and over 138 countries, has already delivered more than $200 million worth of accredited professional courses at no cost to educators. The podcast extends this impact, providing a new space for learning, reflection, and collective action.

The Literacy & Justice for All Podcast is not background listening. It is an urgent conversation about the future of education and society. Each episode is designed not just to inform, but to build agency. Listeners come away with a deeper awareness of the nation's literacy crisis and tangible actions they can take, whether at home, in their community, or in their profession, to support children's access to language and literacy. The ultimate call is simple yet profound: join the Cox Campus community, commit to literacy and justice for all, and help ensure that every child can realize their full potential.

Subscribe today on Cox Campus to the Literacy & Justice for All Podcast and join the national movement to make literacy and justice a reality for all.

About Cox Campus

Cox Campus was founded in 2014 following a generous grant to the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy. This innovative adult learning platform was created to scale the transformative work of the Rollins Center, extending its reach far beyond Atlanta to communities around the world.

Today, more than 385,000 members from all 50 states and over 138 countries engage with Cox Campus to access a robust array of courses, resources, webinars, and community discussions—all advancing language and literacy practices.

Thanks to the steadfast investment of philanthropic organizations that share the belief that literacy is a universal right, Cox Campus continues to provide free access to individuals, school districts, and entire systems.

SOURCE The Rollins Center for Language & Literacy