About The Competitive Readers Coalition

Established in 2016, The Competitive Readers Coalition (CRC) was born from a simple but powerful idea: what if community spaces could become a place where reading confidence grows outside of the classroom?

 

Recognizing the deep trust and mentorship that already exist in Black barbershops, CRC began by inviting children to read aloud during their haircuts, turning everyday moments into opportunities for encouragement, identity affirmation, and lifelong literacy.

 

What started in one chair has grown into a movement to transform culturally trusted spaces into hubs of confidence and opportunity for young readers.