Scholar Stories

First Literacy Scholars are united by their commitment to relentlessly pursuing their goals and creating opportunities for themselves, their families, and their communities. Our scholars come from around the world, from Massachusetts to Sierra Leone, and each of them has overcome significant obstacles to get to where they are today. We are proud to support these scholars as they work to change the narrative of what adult literacy looks like. The scholars listed below have been generous enough to share their stories with us. If you are looking for a full list of all recent scholars, please visit our Scholar Page.

First Literacy 2024-2025 Scholars

Wenley

Wenley

Wenley’s education journey began in Haiti, where his early years of elementary school were marked by curiosity and a passion for learning. Despite...

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Shelia

Shelia

Shelia grew up in a close-knit family in West Africa where she saw first-hand the impact dedicated healthcare professionals, specifically nurses,...

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Safia

Safia

Safia is from Algeria where she obtained her high school diploma along with a certificate in financial accounting. She moved to Boston in May 2015...

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Sabrina

Sabrina

Sabrina was born in Uruguay and moved to the United States with her parents when she was seven years old. Her parents were determined to provide her...

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Kamrunnaher

Kamrunnaher

Kamrunnaher grew up in a small village in Bangladesh called Lakshmipur. The oldest of five children, she was always focused on being a great role...

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Nicole

Nicole

Nicole grew up in the Dominican Republic and dreamt of being a fashion designer. She had plans to pursue a college degree in marketing and graphic...

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Nancary

Nancary

In 2019, Nancary and her family came to the United States from the Dominican Republic to make a better life for themselves. Growing up with an...

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Safia

Khadija

Khadija's journey from Casablanca to the United States has been filled with challenges and triumphs as she navigated a new life and language...

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Erika

Erika

Growing up in a challenging environment, Erika faced hardship after her mother's passing at a young age. Her father often struggled to put food on...

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Safia

Angel

Angel attended Boston Public Schools where she was bullied to an extreme extent, leading to a broken hip that her bullies were not held accountable...

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Andres

Andres

In school in the Dominican Republic, Andres had initially struggled in English classes until he was drawn in by a Twenty One Pilots song that he...

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Ana

Ana

Ana was born in Medellin, Colombia and faced financial hardship growing up after her family went bankrupt. They struggled with basic needs and...

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Bismillah

Bismillah

Bismillah grew up in Afghanistan where ongoing conflict made it extremely challenging to excel in school. He faced numerous challenges and hardships...

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Luis

Luis

Luis is from Nicaragua. In 2018, his life took a drastic turn. He was studying industrial engineering at the Engineering University of Nicaragua...

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Enrique

Enrique

Enrique​ is from El Salvador. After finishing high school, he joined a Roman Catholic seminary for four years before seeking a new path in pursuit...

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Bintou

Bintou

Bintou is from a small town in Africa’s Ivory Coast. For girls in her family going to school was unheard of. Her father believed school was designed...

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Safia

Christele

Christele packed her bags and traveled from Haiti to the United States with the intention of staying for 2 weeks. She came to the U.S. to get away...

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Anny

Anny

Anny lost her mother to cancer when she was just 13 years old. Growing up with her father and three brothers she learned to be strong, grateful, and...

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Fougere

Fougere

Fougere was born in Haiti and immigrated to the U.S. to seek a better life for himself and his family. When Fougere moved to the U.S. he faced a...

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Valentina

Valentina

Valentina came to the United States from Colombia. When she arrived the language was foreign, the culture unknown, and the environment vastly...

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Diana

Diana

Diana is from the Dominican Republic where much of the country lives in poverty. She is the first in her family to move to the United States looking...

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