
Life & Style

Remarkable Woman: June Porter

"Where's June?"

Volunteer tutors at Literacy Chicago ask that question as they come through the door. They want to talk to June Porter, the agency's director of adult literacy, about their students, many of whom come to them unable to decipher the writing on a map or a bottle of medication. They want to get advice on tutoring strategies, report triumphs or discuss setbacks with Porter, a 22-year veteran in the field.

In the late 1980s, Porter was a dedicated teacher — of children. The mother of six had taught preschool, elementary school and high school, but she balked on a fateful day in 1989 when her husband, John, a minister and civil rights activist, returned from a meeting touting a job opening in the field of adult literacy.

"This would be a good job for you," he said.

"No, I don't do adults," June Porter replied. "I do children."

Still, she agreed to go on a job interview, tried the job — and was hooked.

"I just like meeting people, and I like seeing the hope that people have in themselves," she says.

Porter, 77, works with tutors and students, whom she admires for their resourcefulness and tenacity. These are people who carry their schedules in their heads, she says, who manage to maneuver successfully in a society highly dependent on the written word. One woman managed an office cleaning job despite the fact that she couldn't read the directions on the cleaning solutions. A retiree whose wife died decided he had to learn enough to pay his own bills — and went on to become a voracious reader.

For many of these students, the woman they call Miss June is their introduction to Literacy Chicago.

The following is an edited transcript.

Q: What is your greatest attribute or fault?

A: I'm kind of a little bit lazy. I like to sleep. And I guess my greatest attribute is that I really like my job.

Q: What is your greatest possession?

A: My family, although I can't possess them. They won't allow me to! I have six adult children.

Q: What is the best lesson learned from your father or mother?

A: Try to do the best you can.

Q: Who is your living hero?

A: My husband, John Porter. We've been married 50 years. He was in the freedom fight here in the city, and he worked for Dr. (Martin Luther) King. He was a minister, and he had a lot of foresight. His efforts were with the poor people primarily, so he stayed in a church in Englewood and he fought the fight. Dr. King actually did come to our church. We had a pool table in the church and a lot of the gang kids would come. One night, one gang would come and another night another gang would come, and Dr. King actually shot pool on that table in the church.

Q: What is the one secret of success?

A: Honesty, just kind of being true to yourself and your work.

Q: What's your favorite food?

A: Anything that doesn't move. (Laughs.) It's around Thanksgiving, right? (Then) turkey. Whatever the season is; I'm a season person. I like a lot of fruit, too.

Q: Your favorite movie?

A: I can still look at "The Color Purple" over and over again. I've got a couple of daughters who know all the words to all of it.

Q: Your favorite author?

A: I like Toni Morrison. We took the students to see her when she did "One Book, One Chicago." Whoa! That was deep.

Q: What did you want to be at age 13?

A: I wanted to be a teacher, always.

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