We are partnering with the City of Asylum Bookstore to celebrate the global release of What You Need to Know About Me, a powerful new anthology that centers on the immigration narratives of young people between the ages of 11 and 24. Edited by Yalie Saweda Kamara, the anthology’s eighty-four young writers share their dreams, hopes, fears, and realities with unrelenting candor, tenderness, and strength. The anthology’s entries challenge perceptions of migration and identity and compel readers to view these stories with open-mindedness and compassion. Read more and register here!
Art Write Light | Story Factory
Art Write Light was a vibrant collision of creative writing and contemporary art—a three-year project bringing together three emerging artists and over 600 young people from under-resourced communities across Western Sydney. In 2021, the final year of the project, we collaborated with visual artist Blak Douglas, a modern Aboriginal artist with a celebrated career spanning two decades. Blak Douglas created an artwork, and opened up his studio, as inspiration for the young people to write extended reflections and personal responses. In turn, the writing was given back to Blak Douglas, who was inspired by it to produce a second artwork. Both the artworks and the writing were incorporated into a light installation at Story Factory Redfern, creating an interactive display of art and words, and showcasing the amazing talents of the young people of Western Sydney. Read more about about Art Write Light here and watch the documentary below!
I, Witness
I, Witness is Norton Young Readers’ new series of compelling narrative nonfiction for young people, by young people. These books tell the important and powerful stories of young people who have faced and conquered extraordinary challenges.
In Courage, Freshta Tori Jan, International Congress of Youth Voices delegate, shares her journey from her life as a young girl persecuted relentlessly by the Taliban in Afghanistan to becoming a global human rights activist, public speaker, and student at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In Hurricane, Salvador Gómez-Colón, ICYV delegate, shares his experiences of Hurricane Maria and how he decided to act and serve communities in the face of disaster. When you read his story, you’ll find his leadership, compassion, and voice illuminating and inspiring.
In Accused, Adama Bah narrates her harrowing experience of being wrongly accused of terrorism shortly after 9/11 as prejudice, discrimination, and dehumanization toward Muslim people in the United States heightened. Adama’s determination, personality, and deep faith permeate the pages of her book.
Read more about the series here on NPR!
Proceeds from this book series support the work of the International Alliance of Youth Writing Centers and its sixty-plus member organizations.
Purchase the books:
Neil Gaiman Workshops with 916 Ink
To Be Continued | W*ORT IN LUSTENAU, AUSTRIA
“To Be Continued” is a collaborative story about a historic villa in Austria written by several writing centers in Europe.
What happens next?
That’s the question around 100 pupils from Austria, Ireland, Denmark, Italy and the Republic of Moldova will shortly be asking themselves. These young European writers are forming an international writers’ collective and are coming up with a fictive story about Villa Ivan & Franziska Rosenthal in Hohenems, Austria. The story will be started by a school class from Austria before it gets passed on, like a baton in a relay race, from one country to the next. Pupils from Denmark will be picking it up from the cliff-hanger left behind by the Austrians. At the end, the result will be a book published in all the languages of the participating countries. The project was initiated by the Austrian organizations literatur:vorarlberg netzwerk and W*ORT Lustenau and will be enriched through the input from numerous European writers, literary translators, schools and partner organizations.
How it all started
Two schools from Austria are took part in the project – one writing the beginning, one the end of the story. In between the story will travel through four other European countries, where pupils between the ages of 10 and 13 will add their touch to the story. In addition, the Austrian pupils will guide their fellow European writers through the historic villa, which is currently being restored into a literary house, but is not yet accessible to the general public. All participating young people will therefore get an exclusive introduction to the setting by their Austrian peers via live stream on 21st November 2019, before the writing process starts.
Inspiration from published authors
In order to get the young people started with the writing, each group will take part in a workshop with two published authors. How to start a story, how to end it with a cliff-hanger, how to continue someone else’s story, do’s and don’ts of writing an exciting piece of literature, are just some of the areas the authors will cover. In addition, the groups will also be visited by the literary translators, the task of whom will be to translate the story as it stands so far from one language to the next. The actual writing and the development of the story line will however be exclusively carried out by the young writers’ collective.
The story unfolds
Following the guided tour through the villa, the first group from Austria dove into their week of writing. At the end of this week the story was passed on to Denmark, where, after a workshop with two local authors, the Danish group will endeavour to write the story forward and then pass it on to Italy. The story will continue to grow and unfold as it travels from Italy to Ireland to the Republic of Moldova and then back to Austria, where a second Austrian school will write an ending. Whether this will be a sad, funny or mysterious ending will, like the whole plot, be completely in the hands of the young writers.
The first publication by the young European Writers’ collective
Once the pupils have written their last sentences, placed the last full-stop and are happy with the story, the text will be translated into the languages of all participating countries before it is passed on to a graphic designer and sent for printing. The finished product will be a book, which the European writers’ collective will jointly present at a virtual reading, streamed into all participating countries. The project will live on through the tales surrounding it which will no doubt be told by all participants. The book will be available at the local schools, libraries and book shops.
to be continued: project starts November 2019, project ends June 2020
Partner organizations: Fighting Words (Dublin, Ireland), Fronto del Borgo (Turin, Italy), Ordskælv (Copenhagen, Denmark) and various schools, authors and translators in the participating countries
This project is being supported by Raiffeisenbank Im Rheinthal.
For more information, visit www.literatur-vorarlberg-netzwerk.at and www.w-ort.at
Unnecessarily Beautiful Spaces for Young Minds on Fire
The International Alliance of Youth Writing Centers is thrilled to present Unnecessarily Beautiful Spaces for Young Minds on Fire, published by McSweeney’s Publishing and Edited by our centers! This book seeks to answer the question: How did 826 Valencia, and dozens of centers like it, get built—and why? Full of photos and anecdotes from Executive Directors, Designers, and Dreamers from all over the world, this book is the resource for anyone who likes creative spaces, stories of triumph and setback, or want to make a place like this. Out January 14th, preorder today here.
Each center’s spread includes descriptive photos, interviews with the designers and leaders behind the space’s creation, and charming captions.
This book contains much about the reasoning and creativity needed to create your own products (and why it’s better to go all in during that process).
Featuring original student writing from students around the world (these particular pieces could only have been seen by anyone lucky enough to visit 826LA).
What You Need To Know About Me | W*ORT in Lustenau, Austria
Photo (c)Christian Grass
WORT was invited to submit pieces to our upcoming anthology “What You Need To Know About Me” and has the wonderful idea to share their pieces on a local level too. The department responsible for integration and community had the banners with photos and stories printed and then they were exhibited in the street as a “market of cultures”. There was a small opening ceremony, which included families and members of the community. Thank you W*ORT, for sharing this beautiful event!
Young Editors Project | Svartaskóla, Reykjavík, Iceland
The Young Editors Project has gone global!
YEP recently paired up students at Svartaskóla, in Iceland, with the fantastic picture book Have You Ever Seen a Flower? by Shawn Harris. Markús, writer and former primary school teacher, read to the students in English and then translated the story into Icelandic in order for the younger students to grasp the entirerty of the story—and they did.
Despite the language barrier, the students actively engaged with the story, so much so that they attempted to be a flower! Markús commented on the experience, saying, “They all followed the instructions laughing and then they all asked for glasses of water to try to feel the water dripping to their roots. They also started stretching towards."
The picture book opened up discussions not only about flowers but also about their shared experiences throughout life. This photo brought so much joy to us as it showed just how much children’s literature can connect people and get them thinking outside the box.
Here they are trying to feel the water dripping to their roots.
Young Editors Project | Mid-Continent Oceanographic Institute
It is without a question incredible how, when you give students a platform, they will use it to the best of their abilities—our Young Editors Project is a testament to that fact. The Young Editors Project recently paired up students at the Mid-Continent Oceanographic Institute with the incredible manuscript, Have You Ever Seen a Flower? by Shawn Harris.
With a pen in their hand, the students (pictured below) embarked on their journey as editors. And the response was incredible. We received constructive criticism about everything, from content and layout to illustrations and text size. It was absolutely amazing to see what the kids picked up on and the interesting things they came up with to make the story even stronger.
We were delighted to hear from Ellen, Program & Volunteer Coordinator at MOI, who commented on the experience, saying, “It was a neat challenge for the students and I was amazed at how opinionated some students were and what unique suggestions they had.”
Grimm & Co | Rotherham, England
January 9, 2019
I finally got to see it in person: one of the most gloriously lunatic youth writing centers in the world, Grimm & Co. It’s located in Rotheram, about two hours north of London by train. In the middle of town, in a former pub, Deborah Bullivant and her team have created a complete and utterly convincing alternative universe dedicated to storytelling and pure wonder. I was there for two hours and I barely scraped the surface of this place, with its secret doors, miles-deep mythology and backstory, hundreds of bizarre products, stories all over the walls, kid-made books, and of course the writing room where student-writers gather around a very official table and sit on toilet seats. This place is worth the trip from London, or Leeds, or South Korea. It is simply that great, and is unsurpassed in all the world. -D.E.
Max Costume | Rowe, Massachusetts
January 2, 2019
After leaving New York, the Max costume traveled north to a town called Rowe, in the upper reaches of Massachusetts. These kids know about weather and how ferocious and brave one has to be in the middle of winter, as well as how important hot soup is during those months of frigid austerity. We hope they're even more prepared for it this year after scampering about in the Max costume for a bit. Thank you Rowe Elementary School, for indulging your feral selves. The costume is now on its way to Chicago, where its warmth will be much appreciated, we must assume. -D.E.
INTL CONGRESS DELEGATES AT THE 2018 FESTIVAL OF EQUALITY | Belgium
Congrats to four of our International Congress of Youth Voices delegates — Emma Lorenceau, Sean Farrelly, Anika Hussain, and Sarah Sobka — who appeared at the Equality Festival in Ghent, Belgium. They spoke about the Congress, about youth activism, and about misconceptions about their generation. I’m so proud of these people. They are so poised and kind and open and they fill me (and you, and all the Belgians who saw them) with hope. At the end of the festival, they were each given a plant (a smaller version of the ones you see behind them). Not sure how they got them on the plane, but that is not my concern. Congrats, guys. -D.E.
Riya Kataria Interviews Michelle Obama on Instagram
Kitania here with some big news! First of all, Riya Kataria is incredible. Let me tell you why. She is a poet, activist, public speaker, and organizer from Fremont, California. Drawing on this experience, she understands how important it is for the world that youth use their voices. To aid in this, she founded Picket Fence Academy, a not-for-profit that brings the best public speaking education to elementary and middle schools. Also she is 16 years old. We were lucky enough to have her as one of our youth delegates at the International Congress of Youth Voices back in August. And, we are excited to say, Riya was featured on Instagram Live as part of a special interview with Michele Obama.
Max Costume | New York City, NY
Kitania here, to give an update on the Max costume from Where the Wild Things Are. Its most recent stop was Dos Puentes Elementary School in Washington Heights, NYC. You can find hot soup there for sure, as well as places where you feel like you know everyone, but don't. There are lonely places, too. There are the sorts of places that inspire the emotions pictured here, from pure commotion to cautious confidence. Thank you everyone at Dos Puentes. The costume is already back in his shipping container — someday we will show you that, too! It is not at all interesting, but still — and the next stop is Rowe, MA.
Berättarministeriet | Stockholm, Sweden
Last summer I got to visit Berättarministeriet in Stockholm. It is a very, very odd place. It’s located in a shopping mall outside the city, where the closest retail neighbor is a grocery store. It is unclear how this grocery store feels about Berättarministeriet, which bills itself as a supermarket for space aliens. Their grocery neighbor sells bread and herring, while the Berättarministeriet sells three-eyed sunglasses and canned gravity. Do the two stores present a nice kind of symmetry, or problematic competition in a peaceful nation? In any case, if you ask, Berättarministeriet staff will push a button and a rumbling will sound, indicating that a large — and heretofore unseen — door will open, letting visitors into the hidden room behind the store. Yes, a writing lab it is, and a highly prolific and even sort of fancy one, where Sweden’s next Anika Hussains are nurtured. -D.E.
Delegate Judi'caelle Irakoze's Project Choose Yourself
Sometimes there are partnerships that just align perfectly. One of our International Congress delegates, Judi'caelle Irakoze, started a project called Choose Yourself that teaches English to Burundian refugees in the Nakivale Camp in Southwest Uganda. Because girls are often the most affected by the lack of education available in such camps, Irakoze's focus is on young girls. Judi’caelle's project was just highlighted by the Michelle Obama Global Giving Alliance, a crowd-sourcing platform that zeroes in on women-focused projects around the world. Please consider giving to Judi’s endeavor. She’s only 22 and has a passion and self-belief that ensures the plans she makes will be duly realized. -D.E.
GIRLS 2020 SHOWCASE | WORDPLAY CINCY
Q&A with, from left to right: Participants Chloe, Daphne, Lilly, and Grace; and Marcus Küchle, Director of Artistic Operations and New Work Development for the Cincinnati Opera and producer for the project.
There’s a fantastic writing center in Cincinnati called Wordplay Cincy, and they recently gave the public an early look into a project called Girls 2020. The plan is that young women writers will collaborate with the Cincinnati Opera on a piece to be performed in the summer of 2020 at CO Next: Diverse Voices. These words-and-music projects always produce extraordinary results — witness the many similar collaborations afoot in Louisville. Pictured here are members of the opera working with Cincy students, including Azaria Carter and Daphne Constantinedes, two delegates to our recent International Congress of Youth Voices. -D.E.
Two of the participating girls, Azaria Carter and Daphne Constantinides, with Program Coordinator Desirae Hosley.
Grace from Music Resource Center performing an original piece.
Delegate Salvador Gomez-Colon on CNN
One of my hopes for the International Congress of Youth Voices is that our delegates will speak out in the media, and that media outlets will seek them out when they want — and they should want — to hear from young people on issues that concern young people. Check out Salvador Gomez-Colon on CNN the other day, speaking about his nonprofit Light and Hope, which works in his native Puerto Rico. Salvador is only 16 but has the towering poise and passion of a born leader. -D.E.
Judd Apatow Visits Mid-Continent Oceanographic Institute
Not everyone knows that Judd Apatow more or less single-handedly raised the funds necessary to build 826LA’s magnificent site in Echo Park. Since then, he’s edited a book (I Found This Funny) to benefit 826, and has put on multiple fundraisers for LA and the programs across the country. Yesterday he was performing in Minneapolis, and took the time to stop by the Mid-Continent Oceanographic Institute, where he met students and posed next to the eternal question we all face daily regarding hugs and fish. Thank you, Judd. -D.E.
Max Costume | Sikeston, Missouri
The first stop on the Wild Things Costume National/Possibly International Tour was Lee Hunter Elementary in Sikeston, Missouri. The kids at Lee Hunter got to try it on for Halloween, and presumably they felt slightly more feral than usual. Here we see Logan striking a familiar pose, demanding hot soup and not paté. After a few days with the costume, the good people at Lee Hunter just today shipped it off to New York City. Next week, we’ll have updates about the costume’s adventures there. Pictures of the costume riding the F line (my old train) will be appreciated but not required. -D.E.