Behind Lucha de Libros

I founded Lucha de Libros because I know firsthand how much a simple reading competition can change the course of a young person’s life. Growing up, I wasn’t the kind of kid you’d find with a book. Like many of my friends, I was more interested in sports than stories, and reading felt like something I had to do, not something I wanted to do. That changed when my school started a book-based trivia competition. Suddenly, reading became a game, a challenge, a team effort—and for the first time, I found myself staying up late to finish a book, excited to know the answers for our next match. It didn’t just help me learn to love reading; it taught me to love learning.

A few weeks ago, I returned home after spending two years of volunteer service in Santiago, Chile, where I performed tasks such as teaching English, performing service projects, and working closely with families in low-income communities. While there, I saw the same spark in Chilean youth that I once felt in myself—a drive to learn and grow—but I also saw the obstacles they faced. Many of the students I met had the curiosity and determination to succeed but lacked access to quality books or structured opportunities to engage with them. I couldn’t stop thinking about what a difference a reading competition could make for them, just like it did for me.

Before leaving Chile, I started sharing this idea with local educators, and their response made it clear: there is both a need and a desire for something like Lucha de Libros. They saw how a program like this could transform classrooms, inspire students to read, and build a culture of learning that extends beyond school walls. When I came home, I knew I didn’t want to wait to start. I had seen the potential firsthand, and I felt a responsibility to act.

Lucha de Libros is my way of giving back the gift I was once given—the chance to discover the power of reading in a way that is exciting and community-driven. By providing high-quality books and creating opportunities for students to engage with them through fun, team-based competitions, we can help young people in Chile not only improve their literacy but also build the confidence and skills they need for the future. This is why I founded Lucha de Libros, and I’m committed to making it a reality for as many students as possible.

Our Mission and Vision

At Lucha de Libros, we believe every child deserves the chance to discover the power of reading and the confidence that comes with it. Our mission is to transform literacy from a barrier into a bridge for opportunity, helping students in under-resourced communities develop essential reading skills while fostering a lifelong love of learning. We know that literacy matters: it is the foundation for education, upward mobility, and breaking the cycle of poverty. Yet often the students who need literacy the most are the least motivated to read, held back by a lack of resources, encouragement, or engaging opportunities.

That’s why Lucha de Libros uses a unique reading trivia competition structure to change the story. Students form teams, split up a carefully curated book list, and prepare to answer quiz-style questions in fun, friendly competitions that turn reading into a community-building adventure. This structure motivates even reluctant readers by making reading social, exciting, and goal-oriented, helping them build critical reading skills while experiencing the joy of learning together. By combining direct book donations of the aforementioned book list with this proven, engaging structure, we empower young people to take ownership of their education and gain the literacy skills they need to unlock higher education and better opportunities for their futures.