From Illiterate to Literate
Oates, Barbara (2009-04-28)
>>BARBARA OATES: As a child coming up, at eleven years old I lost my mom to a massive heart attack. I was at the mercy of my older siblings. Out of seven children I was the sixth child and I was the first to actually finish high school. But, during that time it was very difficult because my older sisters and brothers didn't quite understand the importance of reading. That was my way of getting away from dealing with my depression as a child without a parent, no encouragement. I was always told I would never be anything, or that I could never do anything, that I was stupid, you know.
>>BARBARA OATES: But I am here today as a senior at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. I made the Chancellor's List. Before all of that, I am 100% disabled with unseen disabilities. I am partially blind in my left eye. I suffer with major depression. I am here, as far as learning about just, well -- I had an instructor, excuse me, I had an instructor this past semester. It was times that I felt like I couldn't understand him and I was just giving up. He stopped so much as just teaching directly from the book, but he made it life interesting for me to learn because I learn differently from other people as far as reading. 
>>BARBARA OATES: You know, if I can read something sometimes it takes me longer to learn it. But I can learn. That is my biggest thing, is that even coming to the university as a student I was tested as being below average, considered illiterate. But I had one instructor here who encourage me and who pulled it out of me and told me that I could read and write. At times I thought I couldn't read and write to be at a university. It was always in me to want to learn more. But now I am here at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. One of the number one schools in the state and I am a senior.