NPR Weekend Edition Interview: Oakland Has a Child Illiteracy Problem. Ayesha and Steph Curry Want to Help.

NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Steph and Ayesha Curry about their efforts to tackle childhood illiteracy in Oakland.

Stephen and Ayesha Curry recently sat down with NPR's Scott Simon to discuss Eat. Learn. Play.'s $25 million pledge to bridge the literacy gap in Oakland over the next five years. They shared their commitment to addressing the educational challenges faced by students in Oakland’s public schools. The conversation highlighted Eat. Learn. Play.’s holistic approach, focusing on providing resources like tutoring, safe play spaces, and nutrition to help students thrive both in and out of the classroom.

“We want to provide a model that can be proven to have a lasting impact on kids through literacy, through nutrition, with our play space refurbishments. It’s not just changing the school; it’s changing the way a community sees themselves.”

—Stephen Curry, NPR Weekend Edition

The Currys emphasized the importance of making tutoring accessible to all students, not just a select few, while also addressing the critical need for early literacy support. Stephen reflected on his upbringing and the values instilled by his mother, a lifelong educator, while Ayesha discussed the foundational role of nutrition in learning readiness. Their conversation with Simon underscores Eat. Learn. Play.’s dedication to creating lasting change for Oakland’s youth, and how the partnership with the Oakland Unified School District is already yielding positive results.