Category: Press
WWNO: ‘This Is What Makes Me Happy’: Young DJs Amplify Black Joy
Our “Celebrate Black Joy” project in partnership with Be Loud Studios was featured on WWNO. Read the interview with 826 New Orleans Program Director Kyley Pulphus and Be Loud Studios creator Alex Owens here.
Our Own Kyley Pulphus Honored in Gambit’s 40 Under 40
Our Program Director, Kyley Pulphus was recently honored as one of Gambit’s 40 under 40 picks! Click here for the full list of honorees.
WGNO: Kids ‘Writing on the Wall’ to reflect on life in quarantine
WGNO interviewed our Executive Director, Brooke Pickett about our project “Writing on the Wall” that kept students writing near the beginning of quarantine. Read about it here.
Youth Monument Proposals Featured on Buzzfeed!
“Was Ruby Bridges old when she fought racism? No, she was not. She was a kid.” https://t.co/DolliOms92
— wikipedia brown (@eveewing) July 7, 2018
London, Coby, Aakhirah, and Lukas’s pieces from Courageous, Eccentric, Diverse: New Monuments for New Orleans went viral on Twitter thanks to the wonderful author Daniel José Older. Buzzfeed covered the excitement, which you can read all about here.
Shout out to our partners at Homer Plessy Community School and to Cartoon Network and Teaching Tolerance for supporting this special project.
The Gambit: Big Class writing project joins national 826 network
“One of the most important things a child can learn is that words matter — and specifically that their words matter. It’s a tenet behind 826 New Orleans, a program that nurtures writing and communications through workshops and other programs for youth ages 6-18. The New Orleans program’s name change coincides with the nonprofit moving into a new space at 1740 St. Bernard Ave.”
The Gambit caught up with Executive Director Doug Keller and Development Manager Kortney Morrow to talk 826, our organization’s history, the empowering nature of writing and publishing, and our exciting future at the 826 New Orleans Youth Writing Center (opening on August 26). Read the full article here.
826 New Orleans in the Press: Pizza Poetry 2018 in ViaNolaVie
“You know we just said that we are amazing at partying for a cause in New Orleans? Add “eating for a cause” to that list of our “greats” because on Friday, April 27, hot pizza comes with a fresh poem by New Orleans youth.”
VieNolaVie included the fifth annual Pizza Poetry Day to their April weekend round-up of events in New Orleans! See the full write-up here.
The Pizza Poetry Project Shares Poetry through Pizza
PMQ Pizza Magazine helped us spread the word about Pizza Poetry Day 2018. Read the full article here.
826 New Orleans in the Press: A Wrinkle in Time Screenings
WWL’s Duke Carter chatted with 826 New Orleans Executive Director Doug Keller about crowdfunding to take ARISE Academy and Sylvanie Williams College Prep students to see A Wrinkle in Time. Watch the full interview here.
Big Class in Press 2017: A Year in Review
As the calendar year enters its final months, we are reflecting on a few of Big Class’s big moments in 2017:
Big Class: When a ‘Dark and Stormy’ night means initiatives for education (ViaNolaVie)
On Big Class’s history, values, programs, and future.
Big Class gives students a voice through new book (National Association of Black Journalists)
The NABJ Monitor discusses History Between These Folds, a collection of personal narratives by 11th graders at G.W. Carver High School, with partner teacher Eric Parrie and Big Class Program Director Kyley Pulphus.
Carver students publish book to document life in New Orleans (Louisiana Weekly)
In conversation with partner teacher Eric Parrie and student authors on the process of writing and publishing History Between These Folds.
Costumes encouraged, creativity rules at A Dark and Stormy Night (NOLA.com)
A recap on Big Class’s annual literary Halloween party, A Dark and Stormy Night, complete with photos and the recipe for the winning ghost story-inspired cocktail.
Free the Memory (Oxford American)
Celebrated author Kiese Laymon’s foreword for History Between These Folds.
Gambit’s 40 Under 40, Class of 2017 (Gambit)
Big Class’s co-founder and executive director, Doug Keller, is named one of the Gambit’s 40 Under 40.
Ninth Ward High School Students Publish Book About Life in NOLA (NOLA Defender)
On the publishing party and reading for History Between These Folds at Cafe Istanbul.
Tapping New Orleans’ Haunted History To Give Student Voices A Boost (Good Education)
On Big Class’s future as 826 New Orleans and the Haunting Supply Company.
Stay up-to-date on all Big Class happenings and press coverage, including History Between These Folds: A Reading and Conversation by subscribing to our monthly newsletter.
In the News: Big Class in Biz New Orleans
By Pamela Marquis
Biz New Orleans
July 2017
On April 29, Nia Gates, a teen intern with Big Class, a local youth writing program, traveled to Washington, D.C., for the 2017 People’s Climate March. Gates read her original poem, “Hold Your Seats, The Tree Speaks” to an audience of 200,000.
“Having the opportunity to travel to D.C. and share a part of my world with the rest was an absolutely amazing experience,” she said. “I would have to say my favorite part of the day was the chance to meet the fellow artists and speakers who also stepped onto the stage either before or after me. I am an 18-year-old girl from New Orleans and I was able to travel hundreds of miles to march and perform with people who see a future of liberation just like myself.”
Gates was afforded that opportunity, in part, because of her involvement with Big Class. The writing program began in 2010 at Lincoln Elementary School in Marrero when Doug Keller and Heather Muntzer facilitated a series of successful writing projects for 43 first-grade students. Word of these projects soon spread throughout New Orleans and other teachers began reaching out to Keller to do the same kind of work in their classrooms.
Read more here.
WWNO: ‘This Is What Makes Me Happy’: Young DJs Amplify Black Joy
Our “Celebrate Black Joy” project in partnership with Be Loud Studios was featured on WWNO. Read the interview with 826 New Orleans Program Director Kyley Pulphus and Be Loud Studios creator Alex Owens here.
Our Own Kyley Pulphus Honored in Gambit’s 40 Under 40
Our Program Director, Kyley Pulphus was recently honored as one of Gambit’s 40 under 40 picks! Click here for the full list of honorees.
WGNO: Kids ‘Writing on the Wall’ to reflect on life in quarantine
WGNO interviewed our Executive Director, Brooke Pickett about our project “Writing on the Wall” that kept students writing near the beginning of quarantine. Read about it here.
Youth Monument Proposals Featured on Buzzfeed!
“Was Ruby Bridges old when she fought racism? No, she was not. She was a kid.” https://t.co/DolliOms92
— wikipedia brown (@eveewing) July 7, 2018
London, Coby, Aakhirah, and Lukas’s pieces from Courageous, Eccentric, Diverse: New Monuments for New Orleans went viral on Twitter thanks to the wonderful author Daniel José Older. Buzzfeed covered the excitement, which you can read all about here.
Shout out to our partners at Homer Plessy Community School and to Cartoon Network and Teaching Tolerance for supporting this special project.
The Gambit: Big Class writing project joins national 826 network
“One of the most important things a child can learn is that words matter — and specifically that their words matter. It’s a tenet behind 826 New Orleans, a program that nurtures writing and communications through workshops and other programs for youth ages 6-18. The New Orleans program’s name change coincides with the nonprofit moving into a new space at 1740 St. Bernard Ave.”
The Gambit caught up with Executive Director Doug Keller and Development Manager Kortney Morrow to talk 826, our organization’s history, the empowering nature of writing and publishing, and our exciting future at the 826 New Orleans Youth Writing Center (opening on August 26). Read the full article here.
826 New Orleans in the Press: Pizza Poetry 2018 in ViaNolaVie
“You know we just said that we are amazing at partying for a cause in New Orleans? Add “eating for a cause” to that list of our “greats” because on Friday, April 27, hot pizza comes with a fresh poem by New Orleans youth.”
VieNolaVie included the fifth annual Pizza Poetry Day to their April weekend round-up of events in New Orleans! See the full write-up here.
The Pizza Poetry Project Shares Poetry through Pizza
PMQ Pizza Magazine helped us spread the word about Pizza Poetry Day 2018. Read the full article here.
826 New Orleans in the Press: A Wrinkle in Time Screenings
WWL’s Duke Carter chatted with 826 New Orleans Executive Director Doug Keller about crowdfunding to take ARISE Academy and Sylvanie Williams College Prep students to see A Wrinkle in Time. Watch the full interview here.
Big Class in Press 2017: A Year in Review
As the calendar year enters its final months, we are reflecting on a few of Big Class’s big moments in 2017:
Big Class: When a ‘Dark and Stormy’ night means initiatives for education (ViaNolaVie)
On Big Class’s history, values, programs, and future.
Big Class gives students a voice through new book (National Association of Black Journalists)
The NABJ Monitor discusses History Between These Folds, a collection of personal narratives by 11th graders at G.W. Carver High School, with partner teacher Eric Parrie and Big Class Program Director Kyley Pulphus.
Carver students publish book to document life in New Orleans (Louisiana Weekly)
In conversation with partner teacher Eric Parrie and student authors on the process of writing and publishing History Between These Folds.
Costumes encouraged, creativity rules at A Dark and Stormy Night (NOLA.com)
A recap on Big Class’s annual literary Halloween party, A Dark and Stormy Night, complete with photos and the recipe for the winning ghost story-inspired cocktail.
Free the Memory (Oxford American)
Celebrated author Kiese Laymon’s foreword for History Between These Folds.
Gambit’s 40 Under 40, Class of 2017 (Gambit)
Big Class’s co-founder and executive director, Doug Keller, is named one of the Gambit’s 40 Under 40.
Ninth Ward High School Students Publish Book About Life in NOLA (NOLA Defender)
On the publishing party and reading for History Between These Folds at Cafe Istanbul.
Tapping New Orleans’ Haunted History To Give Student Voices A Boost (Good Education)
On Big Class’s future as 826 New Orleans and the Haunting Supply Company.
Stay up-to-date on all Big Class happenings and press coverage, including History Between These Folds: A Reading and Conversation by subscribing to our monthly newsletter.
In the News: Big Class in Biz New Orleans
By Pamela Marquis
Biz New Orleans
July 2017
On April 29, Nia Gates, a teen intern with Big Class, a local youth writing program, traveled to Washington, D.C., for the 2017 People’s Climate March. Gates read her original poem, “Hold Your Seats, The Tree Speaks” to an audience of 200,000.
“Having the opportunity to travel to D.C. and share a part of my world with the rest was an absolutely amazing experience,” she said. “I would have to say my favorite part of the day was the chance to meet the fellow artists and speakers who also stepped onto the stage either before or after me. I am an 18-year-old girl from New Orleans and I was able to travel hundreds of miles to march and perform with people who see a future of liberation just like myself.”
Gates was afforded that opportunity, in part, because of her involvement with Big Class. The writing program began in 2010 at Lincoln Elementary School in Marrero when Doug Keller and Heather Muntzer facilitated a series of successful writing projects for 43 first-grade students. Word of these projects soon spread throughout New Orleans and other teachers began reaching out to Keller to do the same kind of work in their classrooms.
Read more here.
