Sunnyside Literacy Lab provides accessible, research-based educational services while nurturing community-based learning ecosystems.

Our guiding principles:

  • Everyone can learn.

  • Reading is a pleasure.

  • Literacy is a civil right.

  • Literacy instruction must be evidence-based.

  • Closing the opportunity gap involves play.

  • Families should be empowered as children’s first teachers.

  • Student progress is directly tied to educator investment.

Learn more about our theory of change.

Team

Anna Young

Founder + Educator

Hi! I’m Anna. I started my career with Teach for America and have worked in education for nine years. I have served as a humanities teacher, special educator, and academic interventionist. I currently supervise graduate students at CUNY Hunter College.

I earned a B.A. in Political Science from McGill University and an M.S. in Adolescent Special Education from CUNY Hunter College. I am certified in the Orton-Gillingham method, a structured literacy approach to reading instruction.

In my spare time, I enjoy exploring the outdoors, experiencing the diverse food cultures of Queens, and reading my preferred genre… detective novels.

Katherin D. Umana Galeano

Assistant

Hi! I’m Katherin. I am currently an immigration paralegal in New York City whose work advocating for immigrant families has uniquely shaped my path toward becoming an educator. Through navigating complex legal systems alongside families, I have seen how education serves as a powerful tool for stability, equity and opportunity.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Philosophy, Politics and Law (PPL) from SUNY Binghamton University, which ground my approach in child development, critical thinking, and social justice. I look forward to gaining meaningful experience through my work at the Sunnyside Literacy Lab and through my ongoing academic pursuit of a Masters Degree in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) at CUNY Hunter College.

Outside of work, you can usually find me on long walks with my Shorkie pup, Luna, or trying out new recipes in the kitchen!

Kavi Talwalkar

Educator

Hi! I'm Kavi, a third-year teacher who recently completed two years in the classroom with Teach For America, where I taught middle school history and English Language Arts. Beyond the classroom, I've served as my school's soccer coach and as an Early Career Fellow with the Academy for Teachers.

I earned my B.A. from Wesleyan University in 2024 and recently completed my Master of Education at Hunter College in 2026. I'm also bilingual, with a strong academic background in Hispanic Studies developed throughout my undergraduate education.

Outside of work, you'll usually find me training for my next marathon or challenging friends to a game. I never leave my apartment without a deck of cards and am always up for a little friendly competition

Azure Cayenne

Educator

Hello, my name is Azure! I started my career working with Integration Charter Schools in Staten Island, New York. Since then, I have been working as a high school English Language Arts teacher in Brooklyn, under the department of education. I have spent five years in total aiming to provide students with the tools they need to be critical thinkers and effective writers.

I’ve earned a B.A. in English with a concentration in English education for grades 7-12 from the CUNY College of Staten Island. I’ve earned a M.A. from Grand Canyon University in English with a concentration on adolescent education.

In my spare time, I love to immerse myself into creative projects, exercising, and spending quality time with those that I love.

Andrew

Educator Leadership Coach

I have been active in middle school education for over 17 years - first as a teacher and then as an administrator specializing in curriculum design and instructional coaching.

With a history of highlighting and growing talent by providing actionable feedback tied to measurable goals, I have worked shoulder-to-shoulder with educators to ensure they can positively and effectively meet the needs of all of their students.

When not enabling educators to discover, grow and leverage their superpowers, I am on - or looking for - the beach with my wife and son.

Alumni Educators

Sunnyside Literacy Lab serves as a training space for classroom educators and children’s therapists. Read what our alumni educators say about working with us.

Anisa Lett

Educator

Through my time at Sunnyside Literacy Lab, I learned how to support diverse learners with varying abilities and learning needs. I gained experience teaching students reading and writing skills by breaking tasks into manageable steps and focusing on specific strategies.

I learned the importance of helping students identify key ideas in a text through annotation and using those annotations to plan and organize their short responses. This experience showed me that students benefit from different approaches and levels of support, and that effective instruction requires flexibility, patience, and a focus on building skills gradually.

This framework, I believe, supports diverse learners and has helped me better understand how to meet students where they are and guide them toward greater confidence and independence in their literacy skills.

Sherry Chowdhury

Children’s Therapist

My experience working at the Sunnyside Literacy Lab (SLL) has been nothing short of incredible. I have been able to witness firsthand how student education outcomes have increased by working with SLL. There is a dedication to not only bridging gaps, but building a foundation upon which students can return to.

For me, SLL has been a way to engage with and give back to the community I was born and raised in. I am so excited to be a part of the amazing mission here, and help bring a holistic angle to the mission.

I envision a future in which every child has equitable access to education and literacy, one where families feel supported and motivated to dream big for their children, and one where communities can sustainably meet the needs of the children being raised within it.

Jonah Wolfson

Educator

It was helpful to be exposed to various techniques for teaching reading. The student-facing reading handbook is a great summary and points teachers towards the important elements to focus on with students. It was also very helpful to see how to break down the content of the readings and how to relate general reading comprehension skills to thinking about the specific content of a text.

The program is very systematic, meaning it's straightforward to use for teachers and learners alike. The framing of "exposing" students to various skills was helpful as a teacher for understanding the use of the method over the course of a year or multiple years.

The lessons' emphasis on helping students use context and background knowledge to support comprehension can help developing readers find an entry point for understanding more advanced texts.