Category: Uncategorized
Writing on the Wall: Week 4 – Freestyle!
Week 4 – Freestyle!
In the fourth week of Writing on the Wall, young people chose their own genres. There were jokes, lists, memories, poems, thank yous, and all-around beautiful words. See all the Freestyle writing here.
Writing on the Wall: Week 3 – Six Word Memoirs!
May 15th – 6 Word Memoirs!
A memoir is a “life-story.” In the third week of Writing on the Wall, young people took on the difficult task of saying something about their lives using only six words. See all 6 Word Memoirs here.
Writing on the Wall: Week 2 – Haikus!
May 8th – Haiku
Haikus are a form of Japanese poetry consisting of three lines.
The first line has five syllables / The second line has seven syllables / The third line has five syllables
In the second week of Writing on the Wall, young people wrote haikus inspired by their current conditions. See all the haiku posts here.
May Volunteer Spotlight: Daniel
This month we’re excited to share about Daniel, a reliable volunteer!
Where are you from? Washington, D.C.
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans? My friend Kurston Melton was working with 826, and I was looking for ways to be more involved in my community here, especially through the arts.
What keeps you coming back? These kids! They never cease to amaze me. The stories, ideas, sounds, and worlds that pour of these humans are inspiring and deserve amplification.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? I’ve worked as a journalist and still freelance, so it helps me know that there’s this great font of creativity near-to-bursting out of all of us. Sometimes it just needs prodding, or help being put into words.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us? I’ve just been accepted to grad school attached to a Broadway theatre! But given the situation, I probably won’t be leaving this wonderful place for another year.
Favorite book/ author? ‘Cosmos’ by Carl Sagan
Favorite snack? Pastries
Favorite thing about New Orleans? The camaraderie between its people.
Writing on the Wall: Week 1 – Flashback Friday!
May 1st – Flashback Friday
We use Flashback Friday (#FBF) to share memories from the past. In the first week of Writing on the Wall, young people thought about their lives before the quarantine, and drew and wrote about things that were special to them.
Our writers shared about many kinds of things: learning to ride a bike, scoring the winning goal, and other important experiences. See all the Flashback Friday posts here.
photo credit: Jonathan Traviesa
April Volunteer Spotlight: Rosie
This month we’re excited to share about Rosie, our Americorps VISTA volunteer!
Where are you from? Richmond, Virginia
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans? I saw the Community Engagement Coordinator position through Americorps and visited 826 New Orleans’ website and loved the goals of the organization and applied!
What keeps you coming back? My great coworkers and the young writers, of course! Not seeing them every day due to coronavirus has been incredibly hard. They are all so unique with wonderful imaginations. They also make me laugh so much, I miss that!
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? I think I am fairly flexible and keep a good sense of humor.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us? When I have time I like to take really long walks, take pictures, cook. In quarantine, I’ve been drawing quite a bit.
Favorite book/ author? I can never pick a favorite but right now I’ve been thinking a lot about Bitter in the Mouth by Monique Truong. I have also been enjoying Little Weirds by Jenny Slate during this quarantine.
Favorite snack? Takis, tomatoes with salt, or watermelon.
Favorite thing about New Orleans? Over the past year of living here, I have loved seeing so many lizards, dragonflies, and citrus fruits. New Orleans also has so many great sounds and smells it’s very stimulating to just walk around. The people here are the best, too!
March Volunteer Spotlight Bre’Yon
This month we’re excited to share about Bre’Yon, our youngest volunteer!
Where are you from? New Orleans
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans? Ms. Kelsey and I really like kids!
What keeps you coming back? All of the kids and my good friend Ma’Lani, who comes in on Mondays and Wednesdays.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? Patience. You have to have the patience to handle all the different types of kids who come in here every single day. They have different attitudes and different things they go through.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us? I’m at school! Or babysitting or cleaning my room because, you know, it stays a mess.
Favorite book/ author? My favorite book is Long Way Down and my favorite author is Jason Reynolds.
Favorite snack? Lavender ice cream
Favorite thing about New Orleans? Culture.
January Volunteer Spotlight: Andrew
This month we’re excited to share about Andrew, a positive and dependable volunteer!
Where are you from? I grew up in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, I went to college in Virginia, then moved to Chicago. Bulbancha is truly the place that feels most like home so far though. (I know that’s somewhat of a cliche at this point, but it’s true.)
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans? I met Kelsey when y’all popped up outside of the Nora Navra library opening. She told me about all of the amazing programs. I love creative writing and reading, so I couldn’t wait to participate.
What keeps you coming back? I learn something every single time I come in for an 826 program. Spending time around these incredible young folx gives me a lot of hope for our future. I feel like we’ll be in good hands. Also, hearing all the unique voices, stories, and writing is an incredible blessing.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? I love reading, creative writing, and editing, which are all skills I think help. However, my sense of curiosity might be the thing that has been most important in my time with 826.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us? I love gardening, spending time outside, and riding my bike. I also really love writing and cuddling with my cats.
Favorite book/ author? The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin is just so beautiful and amazing in so many ways!
Favorite snack? I love making (and eating) all different flavors of homemade hummus! 🙂
December Volunteer Spotlight: Dali
December Volunteer Spotlight: Dali
This month we’re excited to share about Dali, a fun and reliable volunteer!
Where are you from? Cidra, Puerto Rico
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans? Ms. Kelsey Reynolds! We have been friends for a long time and Kelsey shared a lot about the work that she does and how amazing the kids are. I had to come spend some time with them.
What keeps you coming back? The creative stories, ideas, and daily moments the writers have. Their imagination is infinite and it is always so awesome to hear what they have to say.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? Combining art with storytelling has always been a way of communicating for me, so having the writers around doing that is great and offers a chance to communicate with them at a creative level.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us? I work as a Medical Action Planning Analyst for Ochsner, and I spend time on my hobbies!
Favorite book/ author? 100 Years of Solitude- Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Favorite snack? Tuna
Favorite thing about New Orleans? Louis Armstrong park on a Sunday afternoon
November Volunteer Spotlight: Alex
November Volunteer Spotlight: Alex
This month we’re excited to share about Alex, a committed and enthusiastic volunteer!
Where are you from?
Oakland, CA
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans?
I volunteered some at 826 in San Francisco, so when I came to New Orleans I was excited to get involved with 826 here.
What keeps you coming back?
Saying “the kids” would be too easy. It’s the portraits that the kids draw of me that keep me coming back. And the werewolves. I don’t get to hang out with 7-year-old werewolves anywhere else.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans?
Definitely a sense of humor. A real interest in the perspectives of kids comes in handy too. And a desire to lead by example in setting boundaries, making mistakes, and apologizing. From a few more feet up in the air, I have a background in international education policy. I’m interested in finding better ways for education to support all communities and individuals, which I try to use as a guide for my time at 826.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us?
Eating donuts and drinking coffee. Conveniently, I work as a barista at Good Karma Cafe. I am also a Research Associate at Central City Renaissance Alliance, where I do community-based research and engagement with a focus on education, marginalized populations, and access to resources.
Favorite book/ author?
Tamora Pierce- she is a fantastic (and fantastically prolific!) writer of young adult novels full of powerful women warriors fighting evil. The books are a huge part of my childhood and a through-line in some of my most meaningful friendships that go back to when I was little. I also trace my understanding of a lot of words back to the way they pop up in magical, medieval scenarios, most of which I didn’t get to experience first hand.
Favorite snack?
Donuts and coffee.
Favorite thing about New Orleans?
That there are no hills, so I can bike everywhere without breaking a sweat. Except when it’s hot out when I’m sweating constantly.
Writing on the Wall: Week 4 – Freestyle!
Week 4 – Freestyle!
In the fourth week of Writing on the Wall, young people chose their own genres. There were jokes, lists, memories, poems, thank yous, and all-around beautiful words. See all the Freestyle writing here.
Writing on the Wall: Week 3 – Six Word Memoirs!
May 15th – 6 Word Memoirs!
A memoir is a “life-story.” In the third week of Writing on the Wall, young people took on the difficult task of saying something about their lives using only six words. See all 6 Word Memoirs here.
Writing on the Wall: Week 2 – Haikus!
May 8th – Haiku
Haikus are a form of Japanese poetry consisting of three lines.
The first line has five syllables / The second line has seven syllables / The third line has five syllables
In the second week of Writing on the Wall, young people wrote haikus inspired by their current conditions. See all the haiku posts here.
May Volunteer Spotlight: Daniel
This month we’re excited to share about Daniel, a reliable volunteer!
Where are you from? Washington, D.C.
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans? My friend Kurston Melton was working with 826, and I was looking for ways to be more involved in my community here, especially through the arts.
What keeps you coming back? These kids! They never cease to amaze me. The stories, ideas, sounds, and worlds that pour of these humans are inspiring and deserve amplification.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? I’ve worked as a journalist and still freelance, so it helps me know that there’s this great font of creativity near-to-bursting out of all of us. Sometimes it just needs prodding, or help being put into words.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us? I’ve just been accepted to grad school attached to a Broadway theatre! But given the situation, I probably won’t be leaving this wonderful place for another year.
Favorite book/ author? ‘Cosmos’ by Carl Sagan
Favorite snack? Pastries
Favorite thing about New Orleans? The camaraderie between its people.
Writing on the Wall: Week 1 – Flashback Friday!
May 1st – Flashback Friday
We use Flashback Friday (#FBF) to share memories from the past. In the first week of Writing on the Wall, young people thought about their lives before the quarantine, and drew and wrote about things that were special to them.
Our writers shared about many kinds of things: learning to ride a bike, scoring the winning goal, and other important experiences. See all the Flashback Friday posts here.
photo credit: Jonathan Traviesa
April Volunteer Spotlight: Rosie
This month we’re excited to share about Rosie, our Americorps VISTA volunteer!
Where are you from? Richmond, Virginia
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans? I saw the Community Engagement Coordinator position through Americorps and visited 826 New Orleans’ website and loved the goals of the organization and applied!
What keeps you coming back? My great coworkers and the young writers, of course! Not seeing them every day due to coronavirus has been incredibly hard. They are all so unique with wonderful imaginations. They also make me laugh so much, I miss that!
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? I think I am fairly flexible and keep a good sense of humor.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us? When I have time I like to take really long walks, take pictures, cook. In quarantine, I’ve been drawing quite a bit.
Favorite book/ author? I can never pick a favorite but right now I’ve been thinking a lot about Bitter in the Mouth by Monique Truong. I have also been enjoying Little Weirds by Jenny Slate during this quarantine.
Favorite snack? Takis, tomatoes with salt, or watermelon.
Favorite thing about New Orleans? Over the past year of living here, I have loved seeing so many lizards, dragonflies, and citrus fruits. New Orleans also has so many great sounds and smells it’s very stimulating to just walk around. The people here are the best, too!
March Volunteer Spotlight Bre’Yon
This month we’re excited to share about Bre’Yon, our youngest volunteer!
Where are you from? New Orleans
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans? Ms. Kelsey and I really like kids!
What keeps you coming back? All of the kids and my good friend Ma’Lani, who comes in on Mondays and Wednesdays.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? Patience. You have to have the patience to handle all the different types of kids who come in here every single day. They have different attitudes and different things they go through.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us? I’m at school! Or babysitting or cleaning my room because, you know, it stays a mess.
Favorite book/ author? My favorite book is Long Way Down and my favorite author is Jason Reynolds.
Favorite snack? Lavender ice cream
Favorite thing about New Orleans? Culture.
January Volunteer Spotlight: Andrew
This month we’re excited to share about Andrew, a positive and dependable volunteer!
Where are you from? I grew up in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, I went to college in Virginia, then moved to Chicago. Bulbancha is truly the place that feels most like home so far though. (I know that’s somewhat of a cliche at this point, but it’s true.)
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans? I met Kelsey when y’all popped up outside of the Nora Navra library opening. She told me about all of the amazing programs. I love creative writing and reading, so I couldn’t wait to participate.
What keeps you coming back? I learn something every single time I come in for an 826 program. Spending time around these incredible young folx gives me a lot of hope for our future. I feel like we’ll be in good hands. Also, hearing all the unique voices, stories, and writing is an incredible blessing.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? I love reading, creative writing, and editing, which are all skills I think help. However, my sense of curiosity might be the thing that has been most important in my time with 826.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us? I love gardening, spending time outside, and riding my bike. I also really love writing and cuddling with my cats.
Favorite book/ author? The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin is just so beautiful and amazing in so many ways!
Favorite snack? I love making (and eating) all different flavors of homemade hummus! 🙂
December Volunteer Spotlight: Dali
December Volunteer Spotlight: Dali
This month we’re excited to share about Dali, a fun and reliable volunteer!
Where are you from? Cidra, Puerto Rico
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans? Ms. Kelsey Reynolds! We have been friends for a long time and Kelsey shared a lot about the work that she does and how amazing the kids are. I had to come spend some time with them.
What keeps you coming back? The creative stories, ideas, and daily moments the writers have. Their imagination is infinite and it is always so awesome to hear what they have to say.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? Combining art with storytelling has always been a way of communicating for me, so having the writers around doing that is great and offers a chance to communicate with them at a creative level.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us? I work as a Medical Action Planning Analyst for Ochsner, and I spend time on my hobbies!
Favorite book/ author? 100 Years of Solitude- Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Favorite snack? Tuna
Favorite thing about New Orleans? Louis Armstrong park on a Sunday afternoon
November Volunteer Spotlight: Alex
November Volunteer Spotlight: Alex
This month we’re excited to share about Alex, a committed and enthusiastic volunteer!
Where are you from?
Oakland, CA
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans?
I volunteered some at 826 in San Francisco, so when I came to New Orleans I was excited to get involved with 826 here.
What keeps you coming back?
Saying “the kids” would be too easy. It’s the portraits that the kids draw of me that keep me coming back. And the werewolves. I don’t get to hang out with 7-year-old werewolves anywhere else.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans?
Definitely a sense of humor. A real interest in the perspectives of kids comes in handy too. And a desire to lead by example in setting boundaries, making mistakes, and apologizing. From a few more feet up in the air, I have a background in international education policy. I’m interested in finding better ways for education to support all communities and individuals, which I try to use as a guide for my time at 826.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us?
Eating donuts and drinking coffee. Conveniently, I work as a barista at Good Karma Cafe. I am also a Research Associate at Central City Renaissance Alliance, where I do community-based research and engagement with a focus on education, marginalized populations, and access to resources.
Favorite book/ author?
Tamora Pierce- she is a fantastic (and fantastically prolific!) writer of young adult novels full of powerful women warriors fighting evil. The books are a huge part of my childhood and a through-line in some of my most meaningful friendships that go back to when I was little. I also trace my understanding of a lot of words back to the way they pop up in magical, medieval scenarios, most of which I didn’t get to experience first hand.
Favorite snack?
Donuts and coffee.
Favorite thing about New Orleans?
That there are no hills, so I can bike everywhere without breaking a sweat. Except when it’s hot out when I’m sweating constantly.
