A Note from Our Founder - The Education Revolution
NEW YORK (October 29th, 2020) - We are just five days away from the 2020 Presidential Election. We have heard lots of talk about the future of the United States. Politicians, pundits and the public have debated a wide array of issues from healthcare to taxes. However there is one issue that has received little to no focus this election cycle: education.
It may be obvious why education matters to someone like me. After all I have spent nearly seven years running a company that has dedicated itself to spreading education across the globe. However the real reason is deeper than that, and is how my passion for this topic initially began.
My life started from very humble beginnings. I grew up the son of a single mother, living in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. At an age where I was full of innocence I was also surrounded by the worst of humanity. Poverty was universal, violence a product of that, and despair the unfortunate sum of it all. My Mother worked hard to shield me from our environment but it was all very real. I saw many people lose their way, and some even lose their lives.
What saved me, and others like me, was education. My mother read to me every night as a young child and that instilled a love of learning from an early age. As I got older she ensured I received the best education possible, often spending what little money we had to provide it. I found myself constantly seeking knowledge, becoming a critical thinker, and demanding answers as to why the world was the way it was - and how we could change it. Looking back the education I received literally changed my life, and probably saved it.
The most powerful part of all is that my story is not unique. There are many people across our country who found peace and prosperity through education. It is the great equalizer, offering an individual the ability to increase their knowledge, expand their skill set, and change their quality of life. You learn to read and write, you learn math and science, you learn history and suddenly you have the power to shape the future. Education is also as important to the country as it is to the individual. It offers the United States a healthier and happier population, safer streets and a stronger economy, and overall a brighter future.
The current state of affairs remind us why this is the perfect time to put education at the heart of our national agenda. We see a society that is succumbing to disinformation and lies. Education gives us the knowledge to know what is true and what isn’t. We see a society that puts physical appearance and wealth ahead of humanity. Education gives us the wisdom to prioritize what matters in life. And worst of all, we see a society that has become poorer and violent. Education gives us the opportunity to never experience these things. I would know, I’ve lived this first hand.
Our Nation’s greatest challenges can be addressed in the short term, and the long term, by putting education front and center in American society. This is what this moment requires, and the timing could not be more critical.
To do our part, WGI will be a leader in this “education revolution”. For the past nearly seven years we’ve worked with some of the world’s most prominent companies to build and deploy educational programs across the globe. We rolled up our sleeves and found ways to teach foundational skills like reading and writing to thousands of people around the world. Now, with the launch of our new education platform Lyra, we want to give education to millions from the comfort of their device. This allows us to break the current barriers in education and touch those who need it the most. This way, people can be given a shot at a better future the same way I was in those early days back in Baton Rouge.
Now, more than ever, we must put education at the forefront to address the biggest issues in our society. We start with more funding for our teachers and schools, smaller class sizes, a greater emphasis on school choice and more innovation in education from the private sector. Like many Americans, education was my escape from poverty to realizing my wildest dreams. With a renewed focus on education the United States and its citizens can prosper again.
Chance Wilson
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Founder
The WGI Worldwide Company