Can you pinpoint the indisputably best Zoom call you’ve ever been on? We certainly can: our virtual Storytellers’ Showcase, which was a wonderful way to close out a semester filled with amazing student writing and beautiful publications.
The power, brightness, energy, and brilliance of our students absolutely shined through the screen, and brought us so much joy and hope for the future.
The event was hosted by two amazing members of our staff: Yareli Arreola and Precediha Dangerfield, both of whom brought so much love to the event, and set a tone of communal respect and celebration. They then passed the mic ov
er to two of our Mission Center Youth Leadership Advisory Board members, Amina and Natalia. They spoke about the importance
of writing and the experience of being an 826 student, and thanked the amazing frontline workers, teachers, and community members who are leading the way forward at this time.
Students of all ages from across our programs shared a wide range of writing: from a story about powerful ninjas to a student’s letter to her future self. Interspersed throughout the event were activities and insights from our YLAB students. They created a bookmaking activity, and participated in a student-led panel on the importance of youth leadership.
Over the course of this hour-long event, we were continually awed by the supportiveness of our community, and the beauty and power sho4th awn by all of our students. It was a perfect way to close out this semester.
A huge thank you to all of those who attended, to our amazing YLAB students who helped to make this event a success, and the 826 staff who conceived of such a magical event at such a vital time. If you’d like to watch the Showcase, you can see a recording of it here.