The Afro Manga Book Club was inspired by a British Afro Caribbean boy, who struggled with literacy at school. In a learning environment where he rarely encountered books featuring Black or Brown characters, he became disengaged from reading. His dyslexia went undetected for some time, and he received limited support. As a single parent balancing work and family responsibilities, it was difficult for Mom to consistently provide additional support at home.

To spark his interest, Mom began taking him to a local comic shop every fortnight. Through manga and comics, he discovered stories and Brown characters that captured his imagination. Soon he was reading four to five manga volumes each weekend, and his confidence and reading ability began to improve.

Too often, Caribbean boys are labelled as disruptive rather than recognised as a group who may feel marginalised within the education system. This workshop was designed not simply to improve literacy rates, but to inspire Caribbean boys to reconnect with reading through stories and formats that engage them.