Summer Writers Focus on Timely Theme: Economic Inequality
We ran the entire 6-week workshop remotely. Despite the physical separation, the writers completed powerful stories and built connections to each other that were as strong and supportive as ever.
YC writer Konner Stephen outside his home. Konner wrote the story, “Defunding the Police in Schools Can Help Support Essential Workers Like My Parents”
In rich discussions and workshops, the writers explored topics ranging from the American Dream (after a screening of the film Parasite), to their feelings about remote learning and returning to school in the fall. They wrote many transformative stories that will be shared with tens of thousands of readers including:
- I Plan to STEM the Tide: A low-income background won’t prevent me from achieving my science dreams, by Richi Barua
- Silent No Longer: How I worked up the courage to confront a teacher’s racist remarks, by Stephanie Cuevas
- From the Bronx to Brandeis: The American Dream eluded by mother; can I achieve it?, by Shelley Polanco (reprinted in Chalkbeat, a widely read publication for NYC educators)
- Defunding the Police in Schools Can Help Support Essential Workers Like My Parents, by Konner Stephen
…plus more stories to be released this fall.
Join us in wishing our writers well in the year ahead! Their voices shed light on how the pandemic, protests, and systemic inequality uniquely affect young people. Their talent and resilience give us so much hope. Thank you for helping YC continue to ensure young people are heard, and that we truly listen and learn from the wealth of their wisdom.
Youth Communication’s work is only possible because of the generosity of our community. As always, you can support our programs by donating here.
Warmly,
Betsy Cohen
Executive Director
P.S. We would like to thank the many guests who joined us throughout the summer to listen, learn, and share their own perspectives with our young writers, including staff from The Harman Family Foundation, The Pinkerton Foundation, The Marshall Project, The Possibility Project, and YC alumna Natasha Santos.