Blue Ridge Literacy

We are honored to share that Blue Ridge Literacy is featured in the Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s publication "We the People: The World in Virginia".

With a combination of historical essays, examinations of immigrant communities, and personal stories, this volume explores the many people who, over centuries, have made Virginia the unique place it is today—both in the world and in the United States.

At Blue Ridge Literacy, we see every day how our learners come together to improve their English skills while also sharing their experiences, skills, and worldviews with one another—helping to strengthen and enrich our communities in very real ways. We are grateful to be included in this important work highlighting the richness, diversity, and lived experiences of Virginia’s communities.

Thank you to Michael Hemphill for capturing this story.

To learn more about this publication, visit: https://shopvirginiahistory.org/shop.html?location_id=71219&product_id=3727

🎉Exciting News:
Blue Ridge Literacy is the featured nonprofit at the First Annual Roanoke Valley Book Fair & Swap at Golden Cactus Brewing on Sunday, June 14 (11am–5pm).
We’ll be there with a table from 11:00–3:00—come by, say hi, grab a drink, and browse, swap books, and support local vendors.
We’ll have informational material, copies of Writing from the Heart, and a tip jar. Please share and help spread the word!
Big thanks to War On Books for including us in this event

Mark your calendars, y’all, and get ready for the First Annual ROANOKE VALLEY BOOK FAIR & SWAP at Golden Cactus Brewing!

We’ve pulled together all of your favorite independent booksellers and bookish artisan vendors from across the valley for one BIG, BEAUTIFUL book fair and literary extravaganza! And don’t forget to BRING YOUR OLD BOOKS for the community BOOK SWAP!

SUNDAY JUNE 14

11am - 5pm

At

Featuring your local booksellers:







With gifts, crafts, art, and more from:letterpress


local author .hinton
and

Plus:
Community BOOK SWAP to trade old books with new friends
SPINE & DESIGN bookcraft workshop with .price
Custom, typewritten poetry by
And special guests, Roanoke’s own

A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to , serving the area’s immigrant communities with education and immigration support!
So shop away, give what you can, and make sure to check them out at their info table!

Can’t wait to see you all there!

📚🎉🤓⛰️

🏥 Health Careers Fair at Blue Ridge Literacy!

On June 2, learners enrolled in Blue Ridge Literacy's Intermediate, Advanced, and Post-Advanced ESOL classes had the opportunity to learn about healthcare workforce certificates and degree programs available through Virginia Western Community College 💙

Our learners from Afghanistan, Brazil, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Jordan, Mexico, Palestine, South Sudan, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam, explored career pathways ranging from CNA, Medical Assistant, and Phlebotomy certifications to Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Occupational Therapy Assistant, and other healthcare programs.

Thank you to Brittany Boltinghouse for leading this informative and interactive session and helping our learners learn more about local education and career opportunities.

A HUGE THANK YOU to our HandsOn HealthCare partners at Radford University Carilion for another successful event 💙

This event is part of Blue Ridge Literacy's English and Health Literacy Program, supported by the generosity of Carilion Clinic Community Grants and Junior League of Roanoke Valley.

We are excited to participate in and present at the 2026 Mini Conference held by our friends and partners at Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville/Albemarle.

Visit https://literacyforall.org/ for registration and more information.

Join Literacy Volunteers for our annual mini-conference on Saturday, June 13 at PVCC's Bolick Center!

Spend a day with presentations, connections, and workshops for adult educators with presenters from adult education experts and community partners from
* ProLiteracy
* Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
* Blue Ridge Literacy
* Virginia Career Works Charlottesville Center

LVCA tutors just $32; public $52

Visit literacyforall.org for more info!

📣Dont miss out on this wonderful opportunity:

Throughout July, our friends and partners at Immigrant Connection-Blue Ridge will offer FREE immigration screenings.

Do you, or someone you know, have questions about:
✅Green Cards
✅ Citizenship/Naturalization
✅ Family Petitions
✅ Work Authorization
✅ Humanitarian Relief
✅ Asylum
✅ U Visas / VAWA
✅ Other immigration options

Call Immigrant Connection-Blue Ridge to schedule your free screening. appointment.

🎉Exciting News:

Blue Ridge Literacy is the featured nonprofit at the First Annual Roanoke Valley Book Fair & Swap at Golden Cactus Brewing on Sunday, June 14 (11am–5pm).

We’ll be there with a table from 11:00–3:00—come by, say hi, grab a drink, and browse, swap books, and support local vendors.

We’ll have informational material, copies of Writing from the Heart, and a tip jar. Please share and help spread the word!

Big thanks to War On Books for including us in this event 💙

Mark your calendars, y’all, and get ready for the First Annual ROANOKE VALLEY BOOK FAIR & SWAP at Golden Cactus Brewing!

We’ve pulled together all of your favorite independent booksellers and bookish artisan vendors from across the valley for one BIG, BEAUTIFUL book fair and literary extravaganza! And don’t forget to BRING YOUR OLD BOOKS for the community BOOK SWAP!

SUNDAY JUNE 14

11am - 5pm

At

Featuring your local booksellers:







With gifts, crafts, art, and more from:letterpress


local author .hinton
and

Plus:
Community BOOK SWAP to trade old books with new friends
SPINE & DESIGN bookcraft workshop with .price
Custom, typewritten poetry by
And special guests, Roanoke’s own

A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to , serving the area’s immigrant communities with education and immigration support!
So shop away, give what you can, and make sure to check them out at their info table!

Can’t wait to see you all there!

📚🎉🤓⛰️

On Friday, May 8, 2026, learners enrolled in Blue Ridge Literacy’s leveled ESOL and Citizenship preparation classes attended Southwest Virginia Ballet’s 35th Anniversary spring concert, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Our group represented Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal, Mexico, and South Korea. This was a wonderful opportunity for our learners and their family members to build community, practice English skills, and become familiar with Roanoke’s arts and cultural events.

After the performance, learners shared how much they enjoyed the experience:
🌟"Amazing ballet. Me and my wife had a really great day!"
🌟"That was really great we love it"
🌟"It was a wonderful experience for me, especially as it was my first time, and I had the opportunity to enjoy it with my two granddaughters!"
🌟"It was an amazing experience for us. My kid, and my friend, loved the performance."

This program is part of Blue Ridge Literacy's Beyond the Classroom Walls Project, supported by Art in Roanoke

A long weekend is always a pleasure, but even better is seeing all our learners back in class working hard and building their reading, writing, and English communication skills! 💙

Blue Ridge Literacy offers year-round English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes at 5 levels: Pre-Beginner, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Post-Advanced.

📍 In-person classes take place at the Main building of Roanoke Public Libraries downtown.
💻 Online classes are offered on ZoomRoanoke Public Libraries

We also offer Digital Literacy and Citizenship Preparation classes. For more information and registration:

📞 Call 540-265-9339
📲 Send a WhatsApp message to 540-355-3187

📢 Dont miss the upcoming events with New Horizons Healthcare at the Community Empowerment Center at Booker T. Washington!

🦷 May 27 | Dental services for students + summer program information
❤️ June 11 | Physical exams, immunizations, and behavioral/mental health consultations

⏰ 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Please see the original post for full details and appointment information:

Upcoming events with New Horizons Healthcare!

Wednesday, May 27 (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.):
🦷 Dental services for students in all grades (limited walk-ins accepted)
☀️Summer program information from various community organizations

Thursday, June 11 (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.):
❤️ Physical exams, immunizations, behavioral/mental health consultations (by appointment only)

Note: If you are unable to join us on June 11 and have questions, call New Horizons Behavioral Health at (540) 861-1471 and let them know you have been referred by the Community Empowerment Center.

Thank you to New Horizons for partnering with us for these events! To make an appointment, please call the Community Empowerment Center at (540) 853-2301 or email [email protected].

🌧️A rainy day turned into an art-filled learning adventure!✨

Today (5/22/2026), learners enrolled in Blue Ridge Literacy’s workforce readiness class visited the Taubman Museum of Art for a hands-on learning experience.

Learners from Afghanistan and Honduras practiced locating key information through artwork descriptions, read books illustrated by LeUyen Pham, and strengthened their speaking skills by sharing personal memories inspired by the exhibits.

This is a great example of the arts fostering community, language, and creativity. This visit is part of Blue Ridge Literacy's Beyond the Classroom Walls Project, made possible by the generous support of Art in Roanoke 💙