Our Work

Founded in Harlem in 2008 as a grassroots, volunteer-led organization, Total Equity Now (TEN) started out designing and facilitating youth workshops and hosting community forums to promote critical thinking, raise social consciousness, and expand leadership in community problem solving.

Within a few years, we expanded to celebrate, amplify, and advance Harlem’s rich tradition of reading and writing--through our innovative Literacy Across Harlem program suite and by amplifying other organizations' initiatives, events, and resources.

Today, we are raising the bar and building capacity to fulfill a bold vision of universal Black and Brown literacy in Harlem.

Selected TEN Contributions and Achievements

• Organized 11 annual Literacy Across Harlem Marches—intergenerational, communitywide celebrations of reading and writing that promote literacy-related leadership, service, and resources

• Through 12 years of Literacy Across Harlem Holiday Book Drives, mobilized community members to donate 33,000 gift-quality books to children and families in East, Central and West Harlem shelters

• Founded and led the organization of 8 Harlem Adult Education Conferences to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and resource sharing among community-based organizations, colleges, and universities

• Advanced Harlem’s culture of literacy and literature by curating a popular list of Books About Harlem and highlighting everyday champions of reading through our Harlem Reader Spotlight Series

• Organized dozens of community-service projects, engaging hundreds of community members in literacy-related service and activism

• Supported the statewide educational-rights-centered leadership and advocacy of students, parents, educators and other community members

• Organized 10 college tours, cross-cultural exchanges, and hands-on experiential learning opportunities for middle and high school students

• Expanded the reach and impact of partner organizations by promoting their education-related programs, events, and resources