Brown Hands, Black Schools HBCUs

Turner, Latoya: - Latoya Turner is the founder and CEO of Brown Hands Literacy Nonprofit Organization-501(c)(3). She's a mother, educator, HBCU advocate, reading specialist, author, filmmaker, and Leading Men Fellowship Coaching Specialist with The Literacy Lab. Latoya taught grades K-3 for 13 years. She's taught in her hometown Detroit, MI, in Maryland (PGCPS), and at Cincinnati Public Schools. She's been a resident of Cincinnati for 6 years now. After transitioning from the classroom in 2022, Latoya is now coaching young men between the ages of 18-24 who are placed in CPS preschool classrooms to close the literacy gap and diversify the teacher pipeline. The Leading Men Fellowship is a new literacy program in Cincinnati. Latoya holds a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Central State University and a Master's degree in Reading and literacy from Central Michigan University. After reading many children's books to her students and sharing stories about her vacations and HBCU experience, Latoya became inspired to become an author. In 2020, Latoya self-published her first children's book Brown Hands, White Sand and started Brown Hands LLC. In 2021, Latoya published her second children's book Brown Hands, Black Schools: HBCUs. Brown Hands Literacy was founded in 2022 by Latoya. Latoya's passion is to give back to her community and she is doing just that. At the end of 2022, Latoya became a filmmaker by producing, directing and writing Brown Hands, Black Schools HBCUs film. Latoya enjoys reading children's books and going to the beach. Latoya has been featured in several news outlets for her community work, uplifting children's books and exposing our youth to more than just the curriculum. For Latoya, it is more than just being an author and filmmaker. She often asks herself, "How will I plant memorable seeds for children while exposing them to the world?"