The 88th Miss Howard University, Ssanyu Lukoma, an honors broadcast journalism major from Matawan, New Jersey, is expanding her advocacy for literary access by launching a nationwide expansion of college chapters for her nonprofit, Brown Kids Read (BKR).
At age 12, Lukoma said, she was inspired to start BKR after a friend told her that they had little interest in reading because they did not see themselves represented in the books offered by the school district. With that experience in mind, Lukoma has a nationwide mission to distribute one million books. She said the launch of BKR’s college chapters marks the first step towards reaching that goal.
“I was raised in a home where my parents provided me with books that were mirrors and windows that allowed me to see myself reflected in the stories that I read,” Lukoma said.
As of now, BKR has distributed 16,000 diverse children’s books and created multiple programs that have engaged college students across the country. Programs have consisted of an ambassador program and the “Brown Reads” book drive, which was a virtual book drive for people to fund, raise and distribute books in their communities. Now, BKR is readying to launch its university chapters.
This program will start off at 10 universities in 2026. The application process requires students to apply with a full e-board along with resumes, unofficial transcripts and headshots of each e-board applicant.
Once selected, chapters will follow a national calendar of initiatives and be required to participate in designated programming throughout the year. The first action on the calendar will be fundraising for each chapter to be able to distribute books in book deserts — geographic areas or communities where printed books and reading materials are scarce.
“[Many kids in Generation Z] remember going to the doctor’s office and seeing a bookshelf, going to waiting rooms and having access to books, and those are not as common anymore,” Lukoma said.
Her chapter plans to redistribute those bookshelves.
One of BKR’s public relations coordinators, Gabby Ervin, a senior honors public relations major from Columbus, Ohio, joined the nonprofit last year. Ervin’s role during this expansion consists of outreach to schools, reading through applications and helping to decide which applicants move forward to interviews.
Since joining the nonprofit, Ervin said she sees the organization’s impact through book distributions and an increase in engagement. They have already received the interest of nearly 200 students who would like to start a chapter at their universities.
“And I think that within itself is making an impact,” Ervin said.
Ervin said she was inspired to join the nonprofit because of her love of books and passion for supporting children.
“The whole point is to get these books out, increase the literacy, get these kids to see themselves in stories [and] get them to be interested in reading,” she said.
Applications for the university chapters program closed Aug. 24, and the 10 universities selected will be announced on Sept. 4. Those selected will start training on Sept. 5.
Applications were open to all schools, including historically Black colleges and universities, predominantly white institutions and Hispanic serving institutions across the country. Books distributed through this program will be written by or featuring people of color.
Lukoma emphasized that non-Black students should also have access to these stories.
“They allow you to relate with somebody, even though you haven’t personally lived through their experience,” she said.
Featured in their national calendar, university chapters will be required to drop book nooks, fully stocked bookshelves, in local book deserts every semester.
Nova Johnson, a senior television and film major from the Chicagoland area, became BKR’s public relations director last fall. In her role, she oversees the coordinators and decides what publicity the organization wants to share.
Johnson emphasizes the importance of placing book nooks in book deserts to provide children in different communities with greater access to literature and to “get them excited about reading.”
As BKR begins launching its university chapters, the nonprofit’s main priority is securing partnerships with companies and sponsors to provide chapters with the resources they need. Lukoma said one of the simplest ways people can support BKR and its initiative is by spreading the word.
“A post on an Instagram story goes a long way,” Lukoma said.
Copy edited by Sydney Middleton