Judith’s Award – $1,500
Joicki Floyd – “Y.O.U.T.H. (You Open Up Then Heal)”
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY
With her philosophy of “reading is fun-to-da-mental (fundamental),” Ms. Joicki Floyd began her Y.O.U.T.H. program to enable students in finding motivation, positivity, and a love of reading in the face of difficulty. Y.O.U.T.H. works with students who may not see themselves as readers and uses strategies like Socratic Seminars, discussion panels with city officials, and open mics, to spark change in their mindsets. A crucial element is Joicki’s engagement with the community; to her, seeing your neighbor or local store owner with a book in hand is as important as working directly with students. If everyone is a reader, it’s easy to join the club. We warmly recognize Joicki as winner of the 2021 Judith’s Award for her investment in building a culture of support and reading in her community.
“If you build libraries in the hearts of the youth, you will empower them with points of reference that may change the trajectory of their lives.”– Joicki Floyd
