Together with her friend Aracelis Correa, Téri Zambrano founded the POC reading circle, which encourages young people to take up reading. The aim of the reading circle is to promote works by brown and black authors that deal with themes other than racism.
– My everyday life is rhythmically structured around reading. I listen to audiobooks on the way to the store, and sometimes at the gym.On commutes and slow mornings, I read physical books,” says Zambrano.
Zambrano was diagnosed in high school with dyslexia, a special difficulty in reading and writing.
However, reading difficulties were suspected in primary school, when Zambrano had had challenges learning to use a digital clock and to read.
– In elementary school, I never had time to finish reading the content independently in classes. It made me feel frustrated. I kept up by glancing at the texts or skipping lines, Zambrano recalls.
Reading difficulties are usually hereditary and have a neurobiological background.
The most common features of a learning disability are slowness of reading and writing, sensitive mixing of right and left and air directions, spelling mistakes and laborious writing.
However, the perceived challenges of dyslexia are individual.
– Despite my reading difficulties, reading has been an escape from everyday life throughout my life, in a good way. It’s wonderful to immerse yourself in stories that distract you from everyday life, Zambrano describes.
From bookworming to work
– When we noticed that it was difficult to find translated books by POC authors that didn’t only deal with racism and discrimination, we started to tell others about them on social media, Zambrano recalls the early days of the reading circle.
Book advice has turned into a job for the founders of the reading circle these days. Lukupiiri visits schools and organizes literary events and book exhibitions around Finland.
– It’s quite an arresting thought that this has become a profession. Impostor syndrome may surface from time to time, but the truth is, we’ve been doing this for almost two and a half years now, and we’re really experts on this subject.
There are different ways to get involved in reading
Zambrano’s reading difficulty is mild and he understands that reading or getting to know reading culture is not easy for everyone. Dyslexia occurs in 5–10 percent of the population.
– If, for example, reading aloud to a child feels awkward, you can try listening to audiobooks together with the child as an alternative. It’s not cheating. It’s worth talking openly about it to family members, Zambrano advises.
The learning disability has not stopped Zambrano from studying or realizing his dreams in literature.
– I wish that as a child, I would have been told that the concept of reading speed is not so clear-cut. Someone could have told you that it’s also okay to be a slow reader, Zambrano reflects.
It is often forgotten that the visible features of dyslexia do not disappear or diminish in adulthood. Zambranokin says with a laugh that he still doesn’t distinguish between right and left.
At the moment, he is in driving school and the matter has been tense in advance. However, individual arrangements are available for the driving school theory test, such as the possibility to take the theory test orally or with extended response times.
– Although I still read slowly, these days I know how to take time to read, and I don’t rush because of others.