A.J. Briscoe is an author, entrepreneur, and founder of the non-profit community literacy initiative “To Succeed You Must Read.” His mission is to assist in raising the literacy levels in underserved communities. Briscoe has established strategic partnerships with various schools, businesses, and community pillars in an effort to impact the lives of our young people by encouraging them to read. He engages youth through literacy activities and academic competitiveness. He is acknowledged for leading local Spelling Bees to increase comprehension and the ability to understand the meaning of words to express emotions. Briscoe reminds us, “we learn to read, then we read to learn.”