Alvin Irby (MPA-PNP 2015) Named an NYU Alumni Changemaker of the Year

NYU Wagner graduate Alvin Irby (MPA-PNP 2015) was named an NYU Alumni Changemaker of the Year, the University’s annual recognition of alumni making an impact in New York City, nationally, and globally. 

Irby is the founder and executive director of Barbershop Books, Inc., a nonprofit organization aimed at increasing reading opportunities for Black boys through neighborhood barbershops. The concept was born when Irby, who had discovered a love for reading through an accelerated high school English class, was a first-year teacher in the Bronx and, while getting his haircut, saw one of his first-grade students come into the shop. Irby noted wishing he could give his student a book to read. 

Now, Barbershop Books is in nearly 300 barbershops and reaches more than 15,000 children each year. Irby hopes to continue to expand the organization’s footprint, aiming to reach 2,500 barbershops in the next five years. Additionally, Irby is also focused on scaling up his award-winning AI-enabled educational technology platform called Reading’s So Lit.

Irby hosted a TED Talk, “How to Inspire Every Child to be a Lifelong Reader,” that has over 1.4 million views. He’s also been recognized by the National Book Foundation, featured in major media outlets, and named a CNN Hero.