From Sociology to Social Change: LaToya Whitlock Leads Louisville Literacy Effort Through Decode Project

By Stephanie Godward, Communications and Marketing Director, College of Arts & Sciences 

LaToya Whitlock’s ultimate goal is to make literacy in Louisville everyone’s project. 

“We know that in order to have a robust and healthy society that is civic minded, community engaged, and healthy, literacy needs to be everyone's project and so anyone can join us,” she said. 

The co-founder and executive director of Decode Project, a Louisville nonprofit, Whitlock is a UofL sociology alumna who is personally and professionally determined to solve the literacy issue during her lifetime. Decode Project is dedicated to advancing educational equity by ensuring that all children—regardless of zip code, race, or socioeconomic background—have access to the resources they need to succeed.  

The organization works to reduce disparities in education while fostering a diverse community of learners equipped to navigate and thrive in the world. 

Whitlock’s inspiration for starting this organization all stemmed from her work as a school counselor. 

“I had a classroom full of kids from kindergarten through middle school, and even after school I'd have high school students in my office,” she said. “They weren't there necessarily for social or emotional issues - they were there because of academic frustration. And as the adult, I felt like it was an adult issue, not a kid issue. We realized it was a literacy block.” 

After clearly identifying the problem that many of her students were facing in the West End, Whitlock wanted to be a part of the solution. After realizing a literacy crisis was taking place in the particular school she worked in at the time, she realized there was a literacy crisis in the community, the state, and across the nation. 

After implementing a curriculum suggested by a volunteer, the momentum for addressing the literacy needs beyond the school took hold. 

"That curriculum worked miraculously very quickly, and so, I had teachers who were excited and interested in learning more about it and I realized that it wasn't just an issue that could be addressed at our particular school, but it needed to be citywide to make it accessible to kids all over,” Whitlock said. 

Decode Project was born in 2018 and has been having an impact on both young readers and adults ever since. When asked why she felt the need to take charge to solve the issue, Whitlock said, “Why me? Why not?” 

“Growing up, we were to identify ourselves as problem solvers, not to always wait for someone else to come and fix whatever the issue is,” Whitlock said. “I lean into that creativity, and I also lean into the child-like version of myself. I struggled in school, not necessarily academically, but the cookie cutter classroom was really challenging for me.” 

She credits her time in the Sociology Department with equipping her with the tools needed to start the organization and to move it forward. 

“My education in A&S and in my sociology classes prepared me to connect the dots for Decode Project,” she said. “Our first grant was written using the information from the Health Equity report of 2017, and it included a narrative about those social determinants of health and how lack of access to education and literacy could literally take years off of your life.” 

One of the surprising aspects of success for Decode Project has also been hiring and training college students to participate in being a part of the solution – while being transformed themselves. 

“We've seen students who come to Decode Project as employees, but because we understand that they are students first, it is our job and we feel like it's our obligation to also help them finish their degrees and cross that threshold of their academics,” Whitlock said. “One of the motivators I think for students who might struggle or for first generation students in college is that when they're working with a young person who admires them, or when they see a young person who wants to quit, it's really difficult to talk them into being willing to try or to have that kind of resilience if you're not embodying it yourself." 

Whitlock’s mission remains the same – to maintain long-term impact across generations. 

“It is disturbing to me that a child can be born in a particular zip code and that can determine their access to quality education. And that a child’s caregivers’ socioeconomic background can predict so many things about their future from early on. What I hope Decode Project does is raise the awareness of our parents, caregivers, and community of the importance of literacy. And I know this is happening. We are seeing the change. We also understand that illiteracy can become a generational issue. So not only are we supporting kiddos who are in school, we are also supporting caregivers and community members with our caregiver workshops. Our reading crisis is a solvable problem - and Decode Project is definitely a part of the solution.” 

Click here to learn more about Decode Project.