Summary

Grace Bastidas joins Reading Inspires to talk about the stories, books, and cultural traditions that shaped her as a reader—and how she is passing those gifts on to her own children. Grace is a journalist, speaker, parenting expert, and the former editor in chief of Parents.

Drawing on her Colombian heritage and experience raising bilingual children in a multicultural home, Grace shares practical ways families can use books, language, and storytelling to build connection, curiosity, and a stronger sense of identity.

Chapters

• 0:00 — Welcome and meeting Grace Bastidas
• 0:43 — Family stories, Colombian roots, and discovering books
• 2:31 — The reading medal Grace still treasures
• 3:09 — Passing culture and language on to the next generation
• 5:05 — Encouragement for parents raising bilingual children
• 8:30 — Making language learning consistent and joyful
• 12:00 — Books as a bridge to culture, identity, and belonging
• 17:30 — Grace’s advice for helping children become readers

Show Notes

• Guest: Grace Bastidas — gbastidas.com
• Instagram: @brooklynwriter
• LinkedIn: Grace Bastidas
• Grace’s work has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, CBS Mornings, and NBC News Now, and in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and New York Magazine.

Reading Inspires is a podcast from Reading Is Fundamental about the people and ideas helping children discover the joy and power of reading.

Summary

What does it take to help children see themselves in the story of space exploration? Lane Polak, a technical writer and strategic communications professional for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) at Marshall Space Flight Center, joins Reading Inspires to talk about his unconventional path to NASA and the creative work behind making the Artemis program accessible to young readers.

Lane explains how his background in writing, drawing, and neurodivergent creativity shaped his approach to outreach, why NASA needed materials designed for the youngest members of the Artemis generation, and how children’s books can turn technical achievement into curiosity, connection, and possibility. He also reflects on school visits, storytelling, and the questions every writer should ask: Why am I telling this story, why this way, and where do I want it to go?

Chapters

• 0:00 — Meet Lane Polak and the Artemis generation
• 1:00 — From Huntsville and creative writing to NASA
• 2:20 — What strategic communications does for the SLS program
• 3:25 — Making NASA’s mission understandable for young readers
• 4:30 — Creating *Hooray for SLS* and pitching the idea at NASA
• 8:00 — Writing children’s books that build connection and curiosity
• 12:00 — School visits, author events, and questions from students
• 20:00 — Storytelling, vulnerability, and finding your purpose
• 32:15 — Why reading helps us connect with people and community

Show Notes

- Guest: Lane Polak, technical writer for NASA’s Space Launch System at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
- NASA profile: I Am Artemis — Lane Polak
- Lane’s Reading Is Fundamental books:
- Hooray for SLS
- Our Friend Orion
- There and Back with EGS
- Lane is available for school visits. Contact: [russell.l.polak@nasa.gov](mailto:russell.l.polak@nasa.gov)

Summary

Erin Bailey talks with Denine Torr of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and Alicia Levi of Reading Is Fundamental about why literacy access is a community responsibility. They discuss the long partnership between Dollar General and RIF, the specific barriers facing rural communities, the importance of books in homes and schools, and the role of motivation, confidence, and practice in developing skilled readers.

The conversation closes with practical ways listeners can support literacy through their time, talent, and treasure. Denine and Alicia share personal stories about the power of books, family reading, community programs, and the possibilities that open when children and adults have meaningful access to literacy.

Chapters

• 0:00 — Welcome and introductions
• 1:01 — How reading shaped Alicia and Denine
• 5:37 — Why Dollar General made literacy a lasting commitment
• 7:39 — RIF and Dollar General’s long-term partnership
• 9:52 — Literacy access in rural communities
• 14:38 — Books, confidence, motivation, and practice
• 18:13 — Building literacy through community partnerships
• 24:22 — Remembering Dolly Parton’s literacy legacy
• 30:13 — Stories that show the power of books and family reading
• 36:20 — What listeners can do to support literacy
• 39:33 — What reading inspires

Show Notes

• **Denine Torr** — Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy at Dollar General and Executive Director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. She leads philanthropic and social-responsibility efforts supporting communities nationwide and serves on several literacy and education boards.
• **Alicia Levi** — President and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental, the nation’s leading children’s literacy organization. She has expanded RIF’s reach through literacy programs, digital resources, partnerships, and professional learning.
• Reading Is Fundamental: https://www.rif.org/
• Dollar General Literacy Foundation: https://www.dgliteracy.org/

This episode was produced for Reading Inspires.