By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

There is a scene in “Kung Fu Panda 3” were Po for the first time sees a person who looks exactly like him. His reaction is of utter amazement and delight.

In a photo that went viral through social media, a boy in a wheelchair has a face of pure joy as he looks at a life-size ad of another boy in wheelchair.

“We know how important it is to see people who look like you and that’s why diversity is so important in the classroom,” said Jon Covington.

It was one of the reasons that Covington decided to create Men of Color Read, to bring a person of color, who is a success in the community, into the classroom to read to students, especially those in urban areas. The hope is that by seeing people similar to themselves it will inspire the students to not only read, but achieve in school and beyond.

Covington started Men of Color Read 10 years ago in Los Angeles, where he was working at the time. The simple idea of having African-American men come into a school and read once a month quickly blossomed in Los Angeles with the program now hosting once-a-week mentoring programs. Five years ago, Covington brought the program back to his hometown of Muskegon and again saw tremendous success. This past January, he launched the Grand Rapids program at Martin Luther King Leadership Academy which quickly lead to a partnership with the Kent District Library.

“It is up to us to make reading cool again,” said Covington during a recent WKTV Journal interview.

And Covington understands just how “cool” reading can be. From kindergarten through 11th grade, he attended 10 different schools.

“Reading helped me get through all the hype of the things going on around me,” Covington said. “It helped me to dream and to know that there was a whole great big world out there.”

Reading programs like Men of Color Read become even more important to combat functional literacy, a person who is able to get buy knowing just basic English. He also sees the potential of young black boys being impacted by the Michigan law that states if a student is one grade level behind in reading they can be held back.

The response to the Grand Rapids program has been amazing, according to Covington, who said people — of all colors and genders — have been signing up to read to the students.

And it has made an impression on the students as well.

“I came into the office at Martin Luther King Academy and there was a little girl there, I think she was just hanging out or something,” Covington said. “She said to me ‘How many of you were there?’

“I said ‘There was a lot of us wasn’t there? Do you mind if we come back next month?’ She just smiled.”

To get involved with the Men of Color Read program, visit the organization’s Facebook page, Men of Color Read, visit the KDL website, or call Martin Luther King Academy at 616-819-2600.