And if you’ve never started a nonprofit, it’s hard to explain just how much that moment meant.

After months of building, drafting, refining, and believing—through the emails, the edits, the wait—we got the letter that makes it real. That confirms what we’ve already known in our hearts:

This work matters.
This mission matters.
And now it’s recognized—officially.

💡 What This Means for Us

Becoming a 501(c)(3) means that Fourth Pov, Inc. is now a federally recognized tax-exempt nonprofit organization. It’s a stamp of credibility that tells funders, foundations, schools, and partners: We’re here, and we’re serious.

It also means:

• We can now receive tax-deductible donations
• We’re eligible for foundation and government grants
• We can partner with institutions who require nonprofit status for collaboration
• We can grow in ways that are sustainable, scalable, and community-rooted

In short: it opens doors.

But let’s be clear about something—this status doesn’t make the mission.
You can have the stamp, the paperwork, the tax ID, the exemption… and still not do the work.

For us, the status is just the start.
Now we build harder.
Now we serve deeper.
Now we bring the vision to life with even more power behind us.

🤝 What This Means for You (Our Donors, Partners, and Supporters)

If you’ve been with us since the beginning—whether you gave $10, shared a post, or just said “I believe in this”—this is your win too.

Now your donations are tax-deductible.
Now your support helps unlock matching gifts, employer contributions, and larger funding opportunities.
Now your belief is backed by structure—and that structure is designed to last.

You’ve helped get us here. And now we can do even more.

💬 Why It Was So Hard Without It

Before the letter came in, every conversation with a funder started the same way:

“Are you a 501(c)(3) yet?”

When you’re just getting started, you carry the weight of the vision, the heart, and the hustle—but without that designation, it’s harder to earn trust. Harder to receive grants. Harder to gain momentum.

And still, we kept going.
Because youth in underserved communities don’t get to wait.
Because stories are being lost every day.
Because we knew the paperwork would come—but the work couldn’t stop.

🛠 The Real Work Starts Now

501(c)(3) status is not a trophy. It’s a tool.
And now that we have it, we’re putting it to work.

We’re launching programs.
We’re printing journals.
We’re preparing workshops and family events and pilot partnerships with schools.
We’re creating jobs and leadership roles for teens.
We’re building a publishing pipeline that starts in underserved classrooms.

And we’re doing it because we finally have the structure to support the scale.

But no paperwork, no logo, no tax ID means anything without people.
Without stories.
Without community.

That’s where you come in.

📣 So What’s Next?

• We’re kicking off our donor campaign to fund our fall programming
• We’re identifying partners who want to pilot our literacy workshops and journals
• We’re growing our board and volunteer base
• We’re putting the nonprofit to work for the people

If you’ve ever wanted to support a mission at the ground level—this is your moment.

We’re official now.
And we’re just getting started.

We’re not just talking about books—we’re talking about your health. Your job. Your bank account. Your ballot. Your freedom.

The numbers don’t lie:
According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, children whose parents have low literacy levels have a 72% chance of being functionally illiterate themselves when they grow up. Think about that. We’re not just passing down recipes and resilience—we’re passing down a reading deficit that limits what’s possible for the next generation.

Now pair that with what Gallup uncovered: if every adult in America could read at just a sixth-grade level, we would add $2.2 trillion to our economy every year. That’s not pocket change. That’s jobs created. Businesses grown. Communities revived.

And yet, in far too many corners of our community, we’re still sold the lie that education isn’t necessary. That reading is “corny.” That school is optional. That dropping out and figuring it out is a badge of hustle.

Let me be clear: Anti-intellectualism might make you feel tough, but it’s keeping us stuck.

• 43% of adults with low literacy live in poverty.
• 1 in 3 adults with low literacy are unemployed.
• Low literacy is directly linked to higher incarceration rates and worse health outcomes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

This isn’t about individual choices. This is about a system that was designed to under-educate us—and a culture that sometimes plays into that design.

At Fourth Pov, Inc., we reject the idea that literacy is some luxury good reserved for those in private schools or gated suburbs. We believe literacy is a birthright. We build programs to empower Black youth and their families to reclaim it—not for applause, but for survival.

Because here’s the truth: the kid who writes his own story is less likely to be written off. The parent who can decode a medical form is more likely to get the right care. The young person who can read a contract, a bank loan, or a ballot becomes a force this world has to reckon with.

We don’t teach reading just for fun. We teach reading because it’s the first tool of revolution.

If we want our children to grow up whole and ready, we have to start now.
Not later.
Not when the school system catches up.
Not after the next election.
Now.

The words we read shape the world we build.
Let’s build something better—one page, one voice, one future at a time.

Sources:

• National Bureau of Economic Research: Intergenerational Transmission of Literacy
• Gallup & Barbara Bush Foundation (2020): The Economic Impact of Illiteracy in the U.S.
• National Center for Education Statistics (2020): Adult Literacy in the United States

Marvel releases a trailer for Ironheart—a show centered on a brilliant young Black girl who builds her own suit of armor—and suddenly, the internet erupts. Not with excitement, but with anger.

Not over the quality of the story. Not over the effects. But over the existence of a Black character in a lead role.

The same tired accusations flood in:
“Woke propaganda.”
“They’re ruining the original characters.”
“Why does everything have to be about race?”

But let’s be clear:
Woke is just what some people say when they’re uncomfortable seeing Black joy, brilliance, and creativity take up space.
“Too woke” is code for “too Black.”
Too visible. Too powerful. Too different from the default they’ve been told is “normal.”

Riri Williams, the genius behind Ironheart, is not new. She didn’t come out of nowhere. She’s been in the comics since 2016. But like so many characters of color, her rise to the screen is met with resistance—not because she’s badly written, but because her existence challenges the status quo.

At Fourth Pov, Inc., this is exactly why we do what we do.

Because when our children create characters that look like them—when they imagine stories where they’re the heroes, the scientists, the inventors, the center of the action—it shouldn’t be seen as a threat.
It should be celebrated.

Representation isn’t about replacing anyone.
It’s about making room for everyone.
And the fact that some people feel “replaced” when they see a Black girl in a superhero suit says more about them than it does about the story.

This backlash is why programs like ours exist.

We teach creative writing and storytelling because we know how powerful it is when a child sees themselves on the page—and then realizes they can write their own.
We show up with journals, workshops, and affirmations because we want youth in underserved communities to know:
Your story is valid. Your imagination is unstoppable. Your voice is not too much.

Let them call it “woke.”
We’ll call it necessary.

Because until every child can see themselves as the author of their own destiny, our work isn’t done.

So to the young girl watching the Ironheart trailer and feeling something spark inside her—this is for you.
Keep imagining.
Keep writing.
Keep building.

We see you. And we can’t wait to read what you create next.

Let’s keep it real: literacy in America is broken. And not just for kids.

While most developed nations boast adult literacy rates above 96%, the United States is sitting at just 79%, according to World Population Review’s 2024 global literacy rankings. That means more than 1 in 5 adults in this country struggle with basic reading and comprehension. We’re not talking about rare vocabulary or college-level texts—we’re talking about everyday reading: medicine labels, job applications, ballots, and bills.

In a country that prides itself on personal responsibility, how do we explain a system that hasn’t taught its citizens how to fully read and interpret the world around them?

Worse still, the gaps are racialized and generational. A 2020 report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) revealed that Black and Hispanic adults are significantly more likely to fall into the lowest literacy bracket, not because they lack potential—but because they’ve historically been denied access to the resources and culturally relevant instruction they need to thrive. This isn’t about blame. It’s about truth.

At Fourth Pov, Inc., we’re not interested in sugarcoating a systemic failure. We’re here to call it out and then get to work. Because when adults can’t read, they can’t advocate—for themselves, their children, or their communities. That’s not just a problem; that’s a crisis.

And let’s stop pretending this is just about reading books. Literacy is about power. It’s about understanding contracts before you sign them. Knowing your rights before you’re silenced. Teaching your kids without fear of being found out. It’s about dignity. Autonomy. Freedom.

We believe that storytelling is where the healing begins, especially in communities that have been historically excluded from the table. That’s why our programming isn’t just for youth—it’s for adults, too. Because when a parent becomes a reader, a family becomes a classroom. When a grandparent shares their story in writing, a legacy is preserved. When a neighbor reads the fine print, a community wins.

Let’s stop treating adult literacy like a taboo topic. Let’s name it, confront it, and fix it. Together.

Because being able to read the world is the first step to rewriting it.

Sources:

• World Population Review (2024). Literacy Rate by Country.
  https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/literacy-rate-by-country
• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Department of Education (2020). Adult Literacy in the United States.
  https://nces.ed.gov/datapoints/2020004.asp

“We can’t budget our way out of poverty.”

That line hit home.

For decades, programs—some well-meaning, others performative—have flooded our communities with financial literacy classes that teach people how to budget, how to save, how to build credit. And while those skills are important, they’re not enough.

Because here’s the truth:
You can’t budget money you don’t have.
You can’t save what was never there.
And you can’t climb out of a hole with advice alone—especially when the ladder was never built for you.

At Fourth Pov, Inc., this reality is exactly why we created Fourth Ledger—our financial literacy and publishing program that teaches youth how to make money, not just manage it.

We’ve seen firsthand what happens when students are told they just need to “make better choices,” while no one addresses the fact that they live in food deserts, their schools are underfunded, and their parents work two jobs and still can’t get ahead.

We’ve seen what happens when kids are told to dream big—but offered no tools to build with.

That’s why Fourth Ledger was designed to teach two things side by side:

• How to build wealth through creativity
• And how to manage that wealth once it starts coming in

We do this through real-world publishing projects. Students learn how to write and produce books, zines, or journals—and then how to sell them, market them, and track the money they earn.

They’re not just learning about credit scores—they’re learning about ownership.
They’re not just doing mock budgets—they’re building a product that could generate real income.
They’re not just reading about assets—they’re becoming the asset.

Because for kids growing up below the poverty line, the problem isn’t that they lack discipline.
It’s that they’ve been excluded from opportunity.

So when we talk about “bootstraps,” let’s be honest:
Most people in our communities were never given boots. Or straps. Or even the chance to imagine something different.

We’re not here to teach survival. We’re here to teach power.

We believe financial literacy is only transformational when it’s paired with access, creativity, and a plan to earn.
That’s what Fourth Ledger is about.
That’s what our young people deserve.

And that’s why we’ll never stop creating programs that meet them where they are—and show them where they can go.

Here is the link to the article if you want to read it for yourself https://afrotech.com/op-ed-financial-literacy-programs-but-people-need-more-money-too?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=afrotechdaily_20250124

The recent article from Word in Black titled “To Close the HBCU Gender Gap, Help Black Boys Find Their Spark” hit me like a conversation I’ve been having in my head for years finally made its way to the page. Yes, the gender gap in HBCU enrollment is real. Yes, the data shows a troubling drop in Black male student enrollment. But the issue isn’t just about statistics. It’s about belief.

At Fourth Pov, Inc., we believe Black boys have something to say. We believe their ideas, their stories, their creativity, their grief, their questions—all of it—deserves space. Not just because it might land them a scholarship or a seat in a college lecture hall, but because their voice is their spark.

When people talk about closing gaps, they often turn to solutions that treat the symptoms—test prep programs, scholarships, pipelines. All necessary. But at Fourth Pov, we’re interested in going deeper. We want to help Black boys find their spark before the world tries to smother it. And we do that through storytelling. Through writing. Through publishing. Through teaching them that their voice can not only shift a room, it can shake a system.

We’re not asking them to save the world—we’re teaching them that they matter in it.

This work is personal. I’ve seen what happens when a young Black boy picks up a pencil and finally sees it not as a tool of discipline, but as a tool of creation. I’ve seen the shift that happens when a kid writes their truth on the page and realizes the page doesn’t correct them—it receives them.

So yes, let’s close the gap. But not by pushing Black boys to simply assimilate into broken systems. Let’s help them build something new. Let’s give them journals, not just detention slips. Microphones, not just lectures. Publishing contracts, not just permission slips.

Let’s show them that their stories—raw, joyful, angry, questioning, sacred—have power. At Fourth Pov, we don’t just make room at the table. We hand them the pen and remind them: You’ve been the author all along.

The article unpacked the backlash against Variety’s coverage of the film Sinners, a Black-led project that—like so many others—was treated with a tone and scrutiny rarely seen when white-led films miss the mark.

But this isn’t just about one film or one headline.
It’s about a pattern—a long, exhausting pattern.

It’s the way stories from Black creators are questioned. Dismissed. Picked apart under the sharp lens of expectations we never agreed to.
It’s the way we’re told our narratives are “too niche” or “too raw,” while others are praised for being “gritty,” “edgy,” or “bold.”

At Fourth Pov, Inc., we see this for what it is: an extension of a system that has never truly valued our voices.

We were founded on the belief that storytelling is more than expression—it’s liberation.
It’s how we preserve culture, reclaim history, and protect identity.

And for Black communities, storytelling has always been resistance.
Resistance to being erased. Resistance to being misunderstood. Resistance to being silenced.

That’s why our mission is urgent.
We’re not just helping young people improve their reading and writing.
We’re helping them recognize the power of their voice—and then hand them the tools to amplify it.

The controversy around Sinners reminds us that stories from Black creators are still held to double standards. But it also reminds us why we do this work.

We’re not here to seek validation from systems that have always pushed us to the margins.

We’re here to build something of our own.

We’re here to make sure that children from underserved communities never grow up believing their stories are “too much” or “not enough.”
We’re here to show them that their voice matters. That their truth is powerful. That their words can change everything.

Because when we write, we resist.
When we tell our stories, we reclaim.
And when we teach our youth to do the same, we shape the future.

Why start something new in the midst of such political tension? Why launch a literacy nonprofit while executive orders are shifting the landscape of education? Why focus on creative writing when funding for the humanities is being slashed and conversations around “value” in education are dominated by numbers, not narratives?

Here’s our answer:
Because now is exactly the time to do it.

We’re living in an era where the direction of public education feels more uncertain than ever. From the rollback of DEI initiatives in higher education to shifts in how federal funding reaches community-based programs, it’s clear that underserved children—especially Black children—are often left out of the conversation entirely.

And still, we press forward.

We press forward because no executive order can erase the hunger a child feels to be seen, heard, and understood.
We press forward because our communities can’t afford to wait for permission.
We press forward because every young person deserves access to stories that reflect their lives—and the tools to write their own.

This is bigger than policy. It’s about power.

Let’s be clear: we’re aware of the political landscape. The ongoing tension between this administration and many colleges and universities. The appointment of Linda McMahon to lead the Department of Education and the concern that comes with someone whose expertise is rooted in business, not in classrooms. These are real issues that deserve attention.

But they’re not our center.

Our center is the child in Hartford, or Jackson, or Baltimore, who has a story to tell but no journal to write it in.
The 10-year-old who’s never read a book with a protagonist that looks like him.
The teen who could be a brilliant author or poet or journalist—if only someone gave him the space to try.

That’s why we started Fourth Pov, Inc.

We are not waiting on federal shifts. We are not chasing policy wins. We are planting seeds in soil we know is rich with talent, imagination, and untapped brilliance.

Our work is simple at its core:

• We give kids access to words.
• We help them find their voice.
• We create spaces where they’re allowed to matter.

Because literacy is not a luxury—it’s a right.
Because writing is not just academic—it’s survival, it’s healing, it’s power.

So yes, this administration may shape certain headlines. But it will not shape our mission.

We are here.
We are building.
We are writing.
And we are doing it for the children who have waited long enough.

Founded in 2025, Fourth Pov, Inc. is a literacy-focused nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and equipping children in underserved communities to embrace reading, writing, and storytelling as powerful tools for self-expression, healing, and transformation. Our name, Fourth Pov, is rooted in the belief that there’s always another perspective—a fourth point of view—that’s often overlooked. That perspective belongs to the underserved communities that people ignore. Those communities have voices. And we’re here to make sure they are heard.

Why We Exist

We launched Fourth Pov in response to a persistent truth: many children—particularly those in the underserved community who happen to be black and brown children—don’t see themselves reflected in the books they read, the lessons they’re taught, or the stories that are celebrated. This lack of representation doesn’t just limit imagination; it silences potential.

We envision a world where literacy isn’t just a skill, but a source of confidence, creativity, and cultural pride. We believe every child should have access to stories that reflect who they are—and be empowered to write their own.

What We Do

Through a range of culturally-responsive programs, Fourth Pov provides youth with opportunities to explore reading and writing in ways that are joyful, meaningful, and transformative. Whether it’s through creative writing workshops, journalism and media literacy programs, or family literacy clubs, our work centers the voices of young people and gives them space to grow, create, and lead.

Each of our initiatives is designed with intention:

• To build a lifelong love of literacy
• To nurture emotional well-being through storytelling
• To celebrate Black identity and creativity
• And to create safe spaces where youth are seen, heard, and valued

Our Invitation to You

We’re just getting started, and we know that building a movement takes community. That’s why we’re inviting educators, parents, artists, supporters, and storytellers to join us. Whether you’re interested in volunteering, partnering, or simply amplifying our mission, there’s a place for you at Fourth Pov.

Together, we can reshape the narrative—and give the next generation the tools to write their own.

Follow our journey, share our mission, and let’s turn the page to a new story—told through a new point of view.