Liberating Literacy with Clianda Florence

Let’s Get L.I.T.!

Lifelong Rochester resident Clianda Florence sat down with Nick and Christine to discuss her advocacy work in the (585) community. A committed mother of three, Florence is passionate about literacy, education, health, and wellness. For more than twenty years Florence has dedicated her life to education. During her years as an educator she was faced with a variety of challenges particularly in urban educational settings. As a reader and mom, she knew that books, reading, and strong family support could change the life of a child of any age. That’s when she knew that a family-centered literacy program could make a lasting impact on the students she served. Thus was born “Let’s Get L.I.T” which stands for Liberating Individuals through literary Texts, a literacy-focused, nonprofit program.

Overcoming adversity

But Florence’s path to successful educator and nonprofit founder wasn’t always an easy one. She underwent preventative surgery after a DNA test revealed a high risk of cancer. The ordeal wasn’t easy, but she took what she learned and created an initiative to support and empower others dealing with similar physical and emotional scars. Sadly, she was also at the heart of an eviction conflict in 2021. The event was challenging and a difficult one for Florence and her children. But once again she knew that her difficulties could help those in similar straits, and she was able to assist other families facing issues with rent and housing.

L.I.T.

Today the Let’s Get L.I.T. program serves children and families all over Rochester. As founder and CEO, she knew that this initiative would make a lasting impact if she could make books and other reading materials available to families not just in schools and libraries but in the home. The program offers various activities such as financial literacy classes, book clubs, home libraries, and celebrations.. Florence believes that parents should be involved in their children's education and provides tools for them to do so. Children practice cursive writing, ELA standards, reading, and so much more. Some Let’s Get L.I.T. initiatives also include hot meals, so that parents and children alike can break bread while also bonding over reading.

Other initiatives & recognitions

Let’s Get L.I.T. isn’t the only program Florence runs. She is also the founder and CEO of Strength 2 Say where she offers classes of many kinds including professional development opportunities, public speaking education, business and personal coaching, and tutoring services. In addition to her advocacy work she is also a published author.

Her literacy initiatives have been recognized by New York State Senator, Jeremy Cooney, who awarded her $25,000 to help impact literacy in and throughout Rochester, New York and the New York State Commendation Award. Clianda was also recognized by New York State Senator, Samra G. Brouk, with a Proclamation honoring Let’s Get L.I.T. for Advancing Literacy and Empowering Communities. Within six months, she has been able to secure $104,999 in grants to further the impact where 57% of Rochester residents are reading at a basic proficiency level equivalent to sixth grade students. While partnering with the Rochester Science Museum and a collaboration with the “Take It Down” organization, she assisted with creating a curriculum on anti racist programming for participants from the third grade to adults. She currently hosts a popular podcast, “Let’s Get Lit” on the WDKX 103.9 FM radio network. Florence is also a motivational speaker.

To read more about Clianda Florence visit this link for a detailed story from (585) magazine.