It is a sobering fact that 32 million adults in the U.S. can’t read. That’s 14 percent of the population. 21 percent of adults in the U.S. read below a 5th grade level, and 19 percent of high school graduates can’t read. Our next guest, Kathryn Starke, aims to change that.

Please tell us a bit about yourself…

I am an urban literacy specialist and author in Richmond, Virginia. I graduated from Longwood University in Virginia with a BS degree in elementary education and a Master’s degree in Literacy and Culture. I am the author of multicultural children’s book, Amy’s Travels, which is used in homes and schools on over 20 countries on 6 continents.

You are working on something pretty cool. Care to share a little bit about that?

I own Creative Minds Publications, LLC, a global literacy based educational company in Richmond, Virginia. Despite the scientific advances and technological growths in our world, illiteracy remains a national issue for our children in 2015. My company creates and publishes children’s books, writes curriculum, presents workshops and presentations showing communities nationwide how to fix this problem.

What made you decide to follow that path?

I am a former classroom teacher in inner city elementary schools and saw first hand how children do not have the access to books and great reading instruction. I was teaching second grade to children who did not know basic sight words or even a few could not write their last name. While I was teaching, I started writing and publishing children’s books that would motivate and teach students about themes including global awareness and environmental literacy; these books are used in schools and homes worldwide. I then started presented at educational conferences and writing articles for educational papers/magazines and was asked if I could visit a particular school, library, or event to share my message.

What outcome do you hope to achieve?

On a daily basis, we motivate children, support parents, and inspire fellow teachers and educators to love literacy. I’m really fortunate to be able to work with great individuals, schools, organizations, and even an NFL team to bring quality reading education at the forefront of discussion.

Walk us through your average day:

What I love about our company and my mission statement is that it can involve so many different avenues to achieve our ultimate goal so every day is different. An average day involves me waking up and checking emails immediately before making a school visit in my area. Then, I either have a lunch meeting, Skype meeting, or phone call. In the afternoon, I spend a lot of time creating content for upcoming presentations, webinars, or workshops. I also like to stay connected myself on social media and directly communicate with educators, business leaders, moms, community builders, entrepreneurs-you name it! I find myself working into the evening hours since my company supports many schools and organizations on the West Coast. I make time for favorite television shows and reading at night.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things would you bring?

I would have to bring my music, as I always have it on. I’d bring my photo album of my family and friends who most support me. If we don’t have cell service, I’d have to bring my notebook and pen to write and keep communicating with everyone I can.

Thanks Kathryn! You can find her on Twitter @kathrynstarke