This month we are delighted to share an interview with Kimberlee who gave lovely feedback to students for our Me In This Moment project.
Where are you from?
I am originally from Upstate New York and I have bounced around Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Ireland. I have lived in New Orleans for the last 12 years, and this is the longest I have stayed put in my entire life!
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans?
I have been a big fan of 826 New Orleans since the beginning. When I first heard about their youth writing programs and creative publishing projects I knew I needed to learn more. I started reading and sharing books from the 826 New Orleans collection with my kids. We loved the Pizza Poetry Project’s book Is it tasty, does it go to your soul?, the spooky stories collection Something Ain’t Right, and third graders’ advice on overhauling public spaces in Courageous, Eccentric, Diverse: New Monuments for New Orleans. Watching my kids connect with stories from these amazing young writers has been really fun!
What keeps you coming back?
During the pandemic I volunteered to help with the “Me in this Moment” project. Students from across New Orleans wrote about big moments in their lives and I was one of the volunteers behind the scenes cheering on their writing process and sprinkling feedback in the margins. It was a fun and easy way to support young writers throughout this challenging year. I have so much admiration for all the students that shared their stories and I can’t wait to read the published book!
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans?
I have a background in education and I’m used to collaborating with students on research and writing projects. I wrote a lot as a kid and I can still remember how much I anticipated and valued comments and red ink from my teachers. As a volunteer, I do my best to offer up encouragement and constructive feedback to young writers because I know how much it matters.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us?
I am a scientist who is learning to make more time for writing. This year I published some essays and wrote a chapter for a forthcoming book on teaching and learning through the pandemic. I love spending time with my family, biking around New Orleans, baking, and puttering in my garden.
Favorite book/ author?
One of my favorite reads from this year was Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass about Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the teachings of plants. My kids and I also loved Jason Reynold’s Track Series and we’re big fans of Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu!
This month we are delighted to share an interview with Erin who has been incredibly helpful for our In School projects
Where are you from?
I am from New Jersey, the ‘Garden State’.
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans?
When I taught 4th grade, the students wanted to write about the Zombie Apocalypse. A colleague shared info on ‘Big Class’ (826 New Orleans was called at the time). The students and 826 worked together to publish two books all about haunted real estate and zombies in New Orleans.
What keeps you coming back?
It has become clear how impactful spoken and written words are, I’m encouraged to help bring students’ words to readers. The 826 projects have all been inspiring and incredibly fun. My favorites have been: ‘We the Almighty’, spine poems and collages inspired by the 1619 Project, and the student-friendly curriculum for Unfathomable Cities, A New Orleans Atlas.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans?
I have a deep curiosity for what inspires people and my passion runs deep. I try to take care and show students and groups I work with gentle enthusiasm for thoughts and processes.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us?
You can find me riding my bike around New Orleans. The city is a museum and I am always on the tour.
Favorite book/ author?
This is a tough one! A few authors who I believe capture feminine psyche and friendship adeptly: Magda Szabó, Elena Ferrante, Kiley Reid, Carmen Machado.
Favorite snack?
I call it a ‘trash snack’, Chicken salad on a pretzel chip.
Favorite thing about New Orleans?
There’s a lot to love about New Orleans and for me, those appreciative feelings are conjured up in moments: a wave from a colorful porch, paddling on the bayou, roaming the dusty Jazz Fest fairgrounds encountering music from all over the world, crawfish, getting drenched in an infamous rainstorm, Indians, steamy, slow summer days with a snowball antidote, Who Dat culture, an anhinga drying its wings on a City Park stump, cypress knees…
There’s truth to the phrase, ‘I know what it means to miss New Orleans.’
This month we’re excited to share about Nancy, an amazing volunteer!
Where are you from?
New Orleans
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans?
826 DC
What keeps you coming back?
Its character and talent like in you kids, the spark of divine fire. Also my roots.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans?
Prose composition and emotional therapy trying to get the chance to look into each other’s soul and finding out your story.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us?
Writing
Favorite book/ author?
Walker Percy had the biggest influence on me when I was young. Now? You can’t list just one – here are some: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nabokov, Graham Greene, Evelyn Waugh, Jan Morris, Balzac…
This month we’re excited to share about Errol, a volunteer who is near and dear to our hearts!
Where are you from? Born and raised here in New Orleans
What first brought you to 826 New Orleans?
The program director is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.
(Though if you need a less creepy answer: I really like the work you guys are doing with the writing programs for the kids)
What keeps you coming back?
The kids are amazing.
The staff is great.
The events are so much fun.
I really love it there.
What are some skills you have that help you out at 826 New Orleans? I’m the chief nerd consultant and electronic problem solver. Also I’m great at checking names off on lists when we have guests. Also my most important job, keep the program director happy.
What are you up to when you’re not volunteering with us?
Being a nerd for a living! I work in IT
Also doing cool things like night swan rides in city park.
Favorite book/ author?
I’m all over the place but (shocker) I’m reading a lot of sci-fi right now.
Favorite snack?
Snack, I dunno. But food in general is always gonna be shrimp.
Favorite thing about New Orleans?
It’s the best city in the world, with amazing food, people, and music. There’s too much great stuff to name but if im picking one thing….
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!
Tickets are on sale now for our annual Halloween cocktail contest and dance party benefiting our free youth writing and publishing programs. You can get them here. Read on to see who you’ll get the chance to party with next Thursday, October 11.
From L to R: Justin Shiels, Megan Braden-Perry, Larry Morrow, Kimberly Patton-Bragg, Scott Hicks, Elizabeth Pearce, Paula Echevarria, Daniela Jagemann, T. Cole Newton
Hosts:
Our hosts are advocates for our students and their stories and will be leading the way in making A Dark and Stormy Night special. They will be judging our costume contest and choosing the best-presented cocktail.
Megan Braden-Perry
The author of Crescent City Snow: The Ultimate Guide to New Orleans Snowball Stands, Megan Braden-Perry is the world’s foremost authority on all things snowball. As a writer her byline has been in NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, Gambit, NY Daily News, ESSENCE, JEZEBEL, WhereTraveler and OffBeat. She is a long-time Big Class/826 New Orleans volunteer.
Justin Shiels
Justin Shiels received his BFA in Graphic Design from Loyola University New Orleans and his Masters in Arts Administration from the University of New Orleans. He has over 9 years of experience in communications, marketing, and graphic design. As the Creative Director at FSC Interactive, he is passionate about creating compelling strategies, design, and content. He was an illustration for the second ever Big Class project, and has been a supporter ever since.
Larry Morrow
A 27-year-old serial entrepreneur residing in New Orleans, Larry Morrow’s claim to fame is being an event curator – producing lavish, star-studded events hosted by celebrities like Diddy, Floyd Mayweather, Drake and more. Morrow is a mild-mannered businessman who has garnered substantial success in the entertainment industry which has allowed him to launch other ventures, such as Larry Morrow Properties, his critically-acclaimed self-help book, “All Bets On Me” and most recently, Morrow’s Restaurant in New Orleans.
Cocktail Judges:
Our panel of cocktail experts from across the city will be selecting the coveted best cocktail award.
Scott Hicks
Scott was the winner of the 2017 Dark and Stormy Night Cocktail competition. He relocated to New Orleans from South Florida a few years ago and joined the James Beard Award-winning staff of CureCo. (Cure, Cane and Table, and Cafe Henri), working under mentor Kirk Estopinal. Currently, he’s part of the staff at 21st Amendment La Louisiane, a highly regarded cocktail bar in the heart of the French Quarter and local cocktail dive Twelve Mile Limit.
Kimberly Patton-Bragg
A restaurant-industry veteran with twenty years of experience under her belt, Kimberly now proudly hangs her hat at Jeff Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29. Several publications have featured Kimberly’s original cocktails, including Imbibe, The New York Times, Nightclub & Bar, Saveur, and the Times-Picayune. Kimberly honed her skills at Danny Meyer’s Blue Smoke and Jazz Standard in New York City before relocating to New Orleans.
Elizabeth Pearce
Elizabeth Pearce, founder and owner of Drink & Learn, is a Louisiana native and drinks historian who tells the story of New Orleans through its iconic beverages. She is also the Education Specialist for the Sazerac Liquor Company’s historic brands and the Drinks Curator of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, where she was the founding Senior Curator prior to creating Drink & Learn. She is the author of Drink Dat New Orleans: A Guide to the Best Cocktail Bars, Neighborhood Pubs and All Night Dives, and a co-author of The French Quarter Drinking Companion, a guidebook to the many bars of the French Quarter.
Daniela Jagemann
As the Chief of Staff for Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, Daniela has applied her knowledge to the global non-profit organization that Educates, Advances, and Supports the global hospitality industry. Her most recent accomplishments within the Foundation include facilitating the inaugural Grants Program and establishing Beyond the Bar, an initiative aimed at addressing the industry’s complex issues.
T. Cole Newton
Cole’s Mid City cocktail dive Twelve Mile Limit in 2010 has received many honors including having been selected as one of the top ten bars in New Orleans by the Times-Picayune every year that list has been published and was named the best bar in New Orleans by The Manual in 2017. He has been a huge part of making A Dark and Stormy Night happen every year!
Paula Echevarria
Food is Paula’s passion, but cocktails are her mistress, and she has been extensively covering the subject as a freelance digital journalist and social media maven for the past 5 years in publications such as Edible and the Miami New Times. She’s back in her true love New Orleans after being away for ten years, and you can follow her food and tippling adventures at Very Local New Orleans.
And our evening’s DJ:
DJ Chinua
DJ Chinua is a soundweaver for Dopeciety, Saint Heron and more. He hosts a monthly astrological party at Cafe Istanbul called Ascendance.
Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind spooky cocktail party! Purchase your tickets today.
