Tired of shame, adult nonreaders
hit books
Ventura County Star: 2.22.2017 by Claudia Boyd-Barrett
For most of her life, Marie Martinez,
52, of Oak View, hid the fact that she couldn’t read.
She struggled through high school,
keeping her head down and trying her best, even though she didn’t understand a
lot. Somehow, -she graduated — a feat that remains a mystery to her — and
took a job sorting fruits and vegetables at Vons.
For more than 20 years, Martinez
stuck at it, turning down promotions that required reading skills. If she
needed to read something, she’d ask someone else to do it, pretending she'd forgotten her
glasses or didn't have time. She’d memorize directions instead of street signs,
order “hamburger and fries” at restaurants or point to dishes on the menu. Her
husband — who was in on her secret — handled household bills and helping their
kids with homework.
“I was embarrassed,” said Martinez,
now a grandmother of two. “I felt ashamed that I couldn't read.”
Today, Martinez is overcoming her
shame — and her inability to read. She’s enrolled in the Ventura County library
system’s READ Adult Literacy Program, a longtime effort to help English-speaking adults improve
their reading and writing. Participants meet one-on-one each week with a
trained volunteer tutor at sites throughout the county, including Ojai,
Ventura, Port Hueneme and Simi Valley. READ MORE @
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