This study emphasizes formal and informal reading development, race, and socioeconomic status as significant components of the lived experiences of four low socioeconomic Black/Brown second- and third-graders who struggled with reading. The research acknowledges historical progression of the American public education system, exploring peer-reviewed literature to examine the four components of the study's conceptual framework: race, socioeconomics, formal reading instructional practices, and informal reading exercises, as influences of the lived reading experiences of struggling readers. Set in Baltimore, Maryland, the researcher used qualitative methodology to gather data to develop narratives of the elementary-aged participants, illuminating their lived formal and informal reading experiences as struggling readers. The data collection process, being completed during the global COVID-19 pandemic, added dimension to the thoughts, feelings, and concerns of the participants. Using semi-structured interviews and home observations, the purpose of the study was to humanize poor Black/Brown struggling readers by presenting their voices to educational stakeholders against the backdrop of Critical Race Theory. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]