“The real reason for the economic disparities are the policies and the rules that have been enacted historically,” said Meizhu Lui, the former executive director of United for a Fair Economy, and the keynote speaker for the two-day conference, which was co-sponsored by Women Expanding: Literacy Education Action Research Network (WE LEARN) and Fordham’s Graduate School of Education (GSE).

Lui, co-author of The Color of Wealth: The Story Behind the U.S. Racial Wealth Divide (New Press, 2006), traced how land and wealth were acquired in U.S. history and said people of color have been barred by laws and by discrimination from participating in government wealth-building programs that benefit white Americans. For every dollar owned by the average white family in the United States, the average family of color has less than a dime, Lui said.

“We can’t explain what’s going on today without looking at this history,” said Lui, a social activist and union organizer. “If you look at someone’s income, it’s like a snapshot, but if you want to look at their wealth it’s more like a movie. You have to look back over time. We can say that inheritance is the main way that class and race privilege is passed along. As we understand how these levers work, we can take control of them and make them work for us.”

More than 180 adult and literacy educators and students attended the conference, “Building Alliances/Construyendo Alianzas,” which was designed to explore the differences that divide women and consider ways of building alliances across those differences.

The community- and education-based conference included a series of workshops and events focusing on general issues of women’s basic/literacy education. An exhibit area featured a collection of women-centered literacy materials and curriculum resources gathered by WE LEARN as well as the work of authors, publishers and literacy organizations directly related to the field.

WE LEARN, an educational non-profit organization, promotes women’s literacy as a tool for personal growth and social change through networking, education, action and resource development.

Fordham University’s GSE has prepared educators to be leaders in scholarship and service to individuals for more than 85 years. It currently serves prospective and experienced teachers, counselors, educational and school psychologists, and school leaders who are enrolled in masters’, advanced certificate, and doctoral degree and certification programs.

This community- and education-based conference will include a series of workshops and events focusing on general issues of women’s basic/literacy education. An exhibit area will feature a collection of women-centered literacy materials and curriculum resources gathered by WE LEARN as well as the work of authors, publishers and literacy organizations directly related to the field.

Meizhu Lui, co-author of The Color of Wealth: The Story Behind the U.S. Racial Wealth Divide (New Press, 2006), will deliver the keynote address. In addition, several special events are planned to celebrate women’s empowerment through literacy learning.

“We at Fordham are especially honored to host the 2008 WE LEARN Conference,” said Kathleen P. King, Ed.D., professor and program co-director of the M.S. in Adult Education and Human Resource Development at the Graduate School of Education. “This is a collaboration and exchange among adult literacy educators and adult literacy students, a celebration of women’s empowerment and International Women’s Day, and a visible example of what a transformative change adult education can bring about in people’s lives.”

Additional information and registration materials are available from WE LEARN on the web (http://www.litwomen.org/conference.html), by email ([email protected]) or by phone  (401-383-4374). Walk-in registrations are welcome.

WE LEARN, an educational non-profit membership organization, promotes women’s literacy as a tool for personal growth and social change through networking, education, action and resource development. Celebrating its fifth anniversary, WE LEARN exists as a membership organization and network to bring consistent visibility for women’s literacy issues, create connections among educators, encourage new research relevant to women in ABE, and develop and distribute women-focused literacy materials and curriculum resources. It is the only national U.S. organization directly addressing the issues of adult women’s literacy and the needs of women in adult basic/literacy education.

Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education has prepared educators to be leaders in scholarship and service to individuals for more than 85 years. In keeping with the University’s Jesuit values, its students, faculty, and administrators share a commitment to the professional development of the whole person. The Graduate School of Education currently serves prospective and experienced teachers, counselors, educational and school psychologists, and school leaders who are enrolled in master’s, advanced certificate, and doctoral degree and certification programs. The 47 full-time faculty of the Graduate School of Education are scholars who conduct cutting-edge research and practitioners who can apply the best instructional practices in K-12 schools and adult education. In particular, the faculty specializes in multiracial, multilingual, multicultural, and economically diverse environments such as New York City.