About Us
Our mission is to reduce illiteracy throughout Latin America.
One teacher, one classroom, and one child at a time — starting in the Dominican Republic, and built to travel.
Our Story
From a Texas classroom to a national partnership.
Educar Para Liderar was founded by Francia Brisita, a retired, award-winning bilingual educator and bilingual curriculum developer who spent 20 years teaching in Texas. After retiring, she moved to the Dominican Republic and created Lectura Sintetizada, a structured literacy program built specifically for the Spanish alphabetic code and for children who struggle to read — including those with dyslexia and other reading disabilities.
In 2020, Francia partnered directly with the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Education, piloting the program in two towns. Since then, edition by edition, Lectura Sintetizada has grown into a program used in schools across the country — and the goal now is to carry it across Latin America, especially to Panama, where Francia was born and raised.
Educar Para Liderar, Inc. is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in New York City, where our team recruits volunteers, hosts fundraising events, and builds the partnerships that make the work abroad possible.
Our goal is to partner with government agencies, fellow nonprofits, and educators in Texas, New York, and across Latin America to grow Lectura Sintetizada far beyond where it started.
Our Mission
Reduce illiteracy throughout Latin America — and make sure no child is left behind because of how they learn.
We believe every child can learn to read, given the right instruction. That means training teachers in evidence-based methods, putting free materials directly into classrooms, and paying special attention to children with reading disabilities like dyslexia who are too often overlooked by one-size-fits-all curricula.
What We Believe
Every Child Can Learn to Read
Reading difficulties — including dyslexia — are not a ceiling on a child's potential. They're a signal that a different teaching approach is needed.
Teachers Are the Multiplier
Training a teacher reaches every class they'll ever teach. That's why our program is built around teacher training first.
Built to Travel
What works in the Dominican Republic is designed to work in Panama, and across Latin America — the same alphabetic code, the same science of reading.
Meet the people behind Educar Para Liderar.
Our founder, board, and volunteers bring decades of experience in bilingual education, literacy, and community leadership across Texas, the Dominican Republic, and New York.
Meet Our Team