Her primary scholarly interests include school-age language and literacy, cultural and linguistic diversity/cultural competency, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Dr. Thomas-Tate’s current project, Ujima, is a collaborative project with Missouri State University’s CSD Department, Springfield Public Schools, Greene County Libraries, and Springfield NAACP Reads. Ujima Programs, which include family literacy nights, summer literacy camps, and Saturday Academy Workshops, aim to increase the number of CLD students who meet kindergarten readiness expectations at school entry, and reading proficiency standards by 3rd grade.