Video still via YouTube

Chef Curtis Aikens to speak at Contemporary Club.

Food Network star and cookbook author Chef Curtis Aikens will speak about the transformative power of literacy at 6 p.m. Friday, April 17, at The Contemporary Club, 173 S. Eureka St., sponsored by the Adult Literacy Program at the A.K. Smiley Public Library.

At the age of 26, Chef Aikens’ life was changed when he learned to read through a library-sponsored adult literacy program. With his new skills, Chef Aikens went on to star on the Food Network, obtained his master’s degree in education and authored eight cookbooks.

“If you can’t read, you can’t succeed,” says Chef Aikens.

The program, “Power of Literacy,” is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Smiley Library Adult Literacy Coordinator Diane Shimota at dshimota@akspl.org or call the library at (909) 798-7565.