It started when my daughter, being 5 years old, wanted me to read her a bedtime story and by trying to read the story I came across some words I couldn't read and changed them. My daughter jumped up and said, "No, Daddy! That's not right! The teacher read it yesterday."

Not knowing where to get help, I was watching my favorite TV show, "Saturday Night Live," when I saw a commercial that said, "Learn how to read for free at the public library." I didn't have a pencil or paper to take the number down so I waited till next week. It wasn't on that week, so I waited another week and kept looking for the ad. Finally, it was there.

I took down the phone number and kept it with me for about a week or two before I had the nerve to call. I told the lady right then I wanted to learn how to read. She gave me the number of Project Read in South San Francisco. I dialed the phone number and a nice lady answered and said, "Hello, Project Read." I got so scared, I hung up. I waited a couple of days before I got the courage to call again. I called back and the same nice lady said, "Hello!" Nervously, I said I would like to learn how to read. She asked me to come down to the office.

On that day I was sweating up a storm. I walked down that long corridor, one of the longest I've ever walked down, got to the office door and, with tears in my eyes. I said, "My life is in your hands. I want to learn to read."

She asked me a lot of questions and I told her I didn't think I'd ever learn to read and I didn't know where to get help. I told her they kept me back at school because I was left-handed, and they got so busy trying to teach me to use my right hand, they forgot about teaching me to read. I got so upset and frustrated in school that I just gave up.

I told her about my 5-year-old daughter and how she wanted me to read her bedtime stories. I told her I didn't want to turn away from my daughter anymore. I needed to learn to read bedtime stories. That nice lady understood everything I told her. A week later, she matched me with a tutor. I've been here ever since.

This is how I got to be more of a leader. It started slowly, but once I knew what was going on, I caught on fire and you can't stop me now.

My tutor and I got asked to come to a workshop called the National Issues Forum on Freedom of Speech. Now I just had met my tutor and I had never met any students, so I was reluctant and hesitant to go. My tutor convinced me. I just sat and listened to the people talk about what freedom of speech meant to them. I was trying to figure out who was a student and who was a tutor, because everyone there looked like a tutor to me. Everyone started to introduce themselves and 80% of the people were students. I felt so comfortable, but still afraid to talk because I didn't think I had anything important to say. Finally I took a chance and said, "I can't change the world. I can only make the world as peaceful and comfortable as I am." The discussion continued to go on and I discovered something. If there's a problem in the rest of the world, then how can my world be peaceful and calm. To make my world better, I had to get involved with the rest of the world. So I have been active ever since.

I go to all the workshops Project Read has to offer. I joined a student support group and several planning teams. I got involved in the Key to Community project and did a voting video. I also got involved in the voting faire and really got interested in politics and the political parties. I try to encourage young adults to vote. I've done commercials to encourage people and to tell them that Project Read is a program that works and I'm the living proof.

You know what surprises me the most about everything I've done with my literacy program is how warm and caring the staff people are. We've all become like family. I'm always willing to talk to new students that come into the program and give them a hug and welcome them to our family. We talk about all the things we have to offer.

I try to encourage people that I come across that have reading problems and tell them my experience, what I've been through. I tell them if you haven't done anything new for yourself, try Project Read, it will do wonders for your self-esteem. That's the energy that makes you feel good about yourself. No matter what, everything will be ok.

Learning to read has changed me. I used to be quiet and a "to-myself" kind of guy. Now I'm not afraid to challenge and ask questions, no matter what the consequence is. I have a checking account I never had before and established credit. I was married and while I was in Project Read and got divorced. But I kept my head up and my self-esteem up and continued with the program. I moved out on my own, and for the first time in my life, I felt independent, like I could make it on my own. I love the feeling.

I feel proud to tell anyone how Project Read helped change my life and helped me over a fear I always had - coming to the library. Now I am able to do something I always wanted to do. Make the books talk to me. Some of them make me laugh and I love it.

I want to thank all of the tutors and staff people for sharing your life, your skills and making a difference in someone's life. I hope you get the rewards that I have received. I don't know you, but I love you.