Usm Supports National D.E.A.R. Reading Initiative

The University of St. Martin (USM) hosted a reading event on its campus Wednesday evening, supporting the National D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) Movement. This island-wide literacy initiative, led by CLIMB SXM, brought together community members, students, faculty, staff, and partners for 30 minutes of dedicated reading. The event aimed to highlight literacy as a shared responsibility and demonstrate reading's ability to unite communities. Participants were encouraged to bring their own books, with many selecting works by local and Caribbean authors to reinforce regional literary importance. Acclaimed authors Rolando Tobias and Brenda Maynard also joined the session, engaging with attendees.