Latoya Turner is the founder and CEO of Brown Hands Literacy Nonprofit Organization and Brown Hands LLC. She's a mother, educator, HBCU advocate, reading specialist, and Leading Men Fellowship Coaching Specialist with The Literacy Lab. Latoya has taught grades K-3 for 13 years. She's taught in her hometown Detroit, MI, and has also taught in Maryland (PGCPS) and Cincinnati Public Schools. She's been a resident of Cincinnati for 5 years now. After transitioning from the classroom in 2022, Latoya is now coaching young men between the ages of 18-24 who are placed in CPS preschool classrooms to close the literacy gap and diversify the teacher pipeline. The Leading Men Fellowship is a new literacy program in Cincinnati.  

 

Latoya holds a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Central State University and a Master's degree in Reading & Literacy from Central Michigan University. 

 

After reading many children's books to her students and sharing stories about her vacations and HBCU experience, Latoya became inspired to become an author. In 2020, Latoya self-published her first children's book Brown Hands, White Sand. In 2021, Latoya published her second children's book Brown Hands, Black Schools: HBCUs. She also has Brown Hands merchandise such as bucket hats and beach towels.

 

Brown Hands is a 2022-2023 Black Empowerment Works Grantee with United Way of Greater Cincinnati. With the funding, Latoya will host HBCU Literacy events for the community. Latoya’s goal is to educate kids about HBCUs at an early age through her HBCU literacy events which consist of Black children's books, HBCU representatives, HBCU alumni, Greeks, resources, literacy activities, and learning about the history of HBCUs. 

 

Latoya enjoys reading children's books and going to the beach. Latoya has been featured in several news outlets for her community work, uplifting children's books, and exposing our youth to more than just the curriculum. For Latoya, it is more than just being an author. She often asks herself, “How will I plant memorable seeds for children while exposing them to the world?"