Notable Dyslexics: Entertainer and Social Activist Harry Belafonte, British Space Scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Former US Senator and Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, Entrepreneur Daymond John and Pulitzer Prize Nominee Victor Villasenor to Gather at Yale August 4-5, 2013 to address Dyslexia as a Civil Rights Issue of Our Time

NEW HAVEN, Conn., July 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity (YCDC) is launching the Multicultural Dyslexia Awareness Initiative (MDAI) on August 4-5, 2013, with a two day convening of educators, legislators, policy makers, scholars and philanthropists at Yale University.  

Among the notables on hand to lend their advocacy and voices to MDAI will be Yale President Peter Salovey, Ph.D.; Congressman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Dyslexia Caucus; Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX); entrepreneur Daymond John; dyslexic author and Pulitzer Prize nominee Victor Villasenor; and producer & social activist Gina Belafonte. 

Recognizing that knowledge is power, Drs. Bennett and Sally Shaywitz, Co-Directors of the YCDC and  members of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science, will provide the audience with the scientific underpinnings of dyslexia and its practical implications for policy and practice.

The YCDC-MDAI believes that dyslexia is a civil right issue of our time.  It is the most common learning disability, affecting approximately 1 out of every 5 people.  It crosses racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines, and with proper instruction and accommodations, it can be remediated. The diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia remains elusive in public schools, however, and even more so in urban school populations comprised of African Americans and Latinos.  Children who cannot read are marginalized and left to struggle and ultimately risk falling completely through the cracks, dropping out of school and facing dismal futures. With proper identification and intervention, this is preventable.

"School failure is one of the most serious challenges children can face. It is particularly damaging for children already at risk because of poverty and/or minority status," said Barbara T. Bowman, Co-founder and Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development, Erikson Institute. "Learning to read is critical to success, yet often we do not correctly identify dyslexia as the barrier. Recognizing the symptoms of dyslexia early and providing appropriate instruction can change lives."

The convening, geared towards advocacy and awareness, will begin the evening of Sunday, August 4 with a dinner honoring entertainer and social activist Harry Belafonte and notable British space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. There will also be dyslexic celebrities, lawyers, entrepreneurs, doctors and other professionals in attendance.

"I grew up in a school system . . . where nobody understood the meaning of learning disorder. In the West Indies, I was constantly being physically abused because the whipping of students was permitted," said Mr.  Belafonte.

"I feel extremely honored to be given this award. It is wonderful to know that there are people championing and supporting dyslexics," said Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock.  "Further knowledge of dyslexia will help many people overcoming stigma and shame."

The full day session on Monday, August 5, 2013 will include the voices of adults and children who are dyslexic. The MDAI will follow up the conference in New Haven, CT with additional gatherings in Washington, DC; Cleveland, OH; Atlanta, GA; Houston, TX; and the California Bay Area.  The forthcoming dates will be available on the YCDC website.

For more information about MDAI visit http://dyslexia.yale.edu/MDAI/ or to become a sponsor please visit or contact Keith Magee at 312.545.3656 or [email protected]. The two-day convening is made possible through the generous support of the Seedling Foundation and the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity.

Contact: Dr. Keith L. Magee or Dr. Sally Shaywitz
Mobile: 312.545.3656 or 203-785-4641
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

SOURCE Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity