Literacy, Equity, and Showing Up: Ty-Licia Hooker on HKR and Miko Marks on Barbara Dane

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In this Hard Knock Radio conversation, host Davey D sits down with educator and organizer Ty-Licia Hooker, executive director of The Children’s Education Project, to unpack Oakland’s literacy crisis and what it will take to fix it. Hooker traces the problem across generations—third-generation OUSD herself—recalling a sixth-grade class told they were “illiterate” and sent back to phonics. Today, she says, kindergarteners are expected to read complete sentences by year’s end; too many aren’t close, especially in the Flats, where public-school resources and expectations don’t match those in the Hills.

Davey points to crowded classrooms, inconsistent adult support, and the invisible labor of parents juggling multiple jobs. Hooker agrees the issue is systemic—by design—and compounded by funding cuts, staffing shortages, and the basic cost of living pushing talented teachers out of Oakland. She urges community organizing: equip parents with specific questions for teachers, bring families into classrooms, and cut the red tape that keeps hundreds of local literacy programs from actually serving kids.

When Davey presses on the real-life fatigue families feel, Hooker offers practical hacks: ten-minute timers, embedding reading and math into daily life (have your kid read game updates, count ingredients while you cook), and scheduling a weekly ritual (her “Miley Mondays”) to make learning consistent and joyful. For folks without kids, she flags underused employer-paid volunteer time at companies like Netflix, Levi’s, Verizon, Clif Bar, and even county agencies—hours that can become tutoring shifts if people simply sign up.

The Children’s Education Project provides one-on-one tutoring aligned to OUSD curriculum, trains volunteers in academics and socio-emotional skills, and hosts community events—from book nights to grocery giveaways. Hooker’s bottom line: nobody’s coming to save us but us. Show up, get trained, and fight for the resources our kids deserve.

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On this Hard Knock Radio episode, Davey D opens with “Ancestors” by guest Miko Marks, framing her long road to wider recognition as audiences rediscover Southern Soul, Americana, and country through mainstream moments—from Beyoncé’s country pivot to Ryan Coogler’s recent work. Marks traces her journey from a 2005 traditional country debut to an expansive roots blend—blues, gospel, folk, jazz—after shedding industry boxes that once demanded a narrow look and sound. She recalls being one of only a few Black women positioned in country at the time (alongside Reese Palmer) and how labels subtly pitted artists against each other. Maturity, friendship, and craft ultimately refocused her on finding her own lane.

The conversation pivots to The Nine Lives of Barbara Dane, the award-winning documentary for which Marks will perform. She sees kinship with Dane—another Midwestern artist who fused art and activism, genre freedom, and courage in hostile times. Marks explains how political honesty enters her songs naturally, citing “Goodnight America,” a lullaby for the nation’s transgressions that some misread as anti-American. For her, it’s about acknowledgement, healing, and renewal. That theme flows into “Lay Your Burdens Down,” a response to today’s weight of hypocrisy and uncertainty, urging shared lifting of collective pain.

Asked about country music’s receptivity to social commentary, Marks says the genre has grown but still struggles with “good-old-boy” biases and gender inequity. She welcomes Beyoncé’s country album for spotlighting young Black women—broadening who gets seen and heard. After stepping away from recording for 14 years—an act of resistance against industry games—Marks returned on her own terms, prioritizing audience connection and artistic freedom. She’s now preparing a traditional blues project (including a Christmas blues cut), underscoring that country and blues differ less in substance than in marketing; both are rooted in Black musical traditions. Davey D echoes Herbie Hancock’s line: at day’s end, it’s all Black expression. Marks closes by honoring her own ancestors—many of her family have passed—and inviting listeners to the Nine Lives of Barbara Dane screening at Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post Literacy, Equity, and Showing Up: Ty-Licia Hooker on HKR and Miko Marks on Barbara Dane appeared first on KPFA.

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