Dear Friends,
It is especially hard to be young right now.
So many young people are moving through their days holding questions and worries that feel bigger than they are. They are taking in fear they didn’t create, uncertainty they can’t resolve, and changes they don’t control—while still being asked to show up to school, to keep learning, to keep going.
They carry a lot. And too often, there are few places to set that weight down.
When the world feels unsteady, young people need spaces where their words are invited in—welcomed, taken seriously, and held with care. Places where they can name what they notice, what they fear, what they long for, and imagine something better—cities made of skittles, and pink clouds that can carry a tune, even.
There is a particular kind of safety that comes from being heard.
And a particular kind of relief that comes with the act of imagining.
This is why the work of listening—really listening—matters so much, especially right now.
Adults, please keep stepping in. Hold space. Listen closely. Stay present with the young people in your lives, even when doing so feels uncertain or tender. Right now, young people are reaching for community, nourishment, and a future that feels more humane.
826 National Board Member and Poet, Amanda Gorman shares,
“Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true:
That even as we grieved, we grew
That even as we hurt, we hoped
That even as we tired, we tried”
We see this truth in students’ writing every day. A seed planted with care. Tended patiently. Already sprouting. A reminder that even in difficult moments, young people are hoping and hurting and growing and trying.
As you continue showing up—preparing lessons, volunteering in your communities, supporting your local 826 chapter, and sustaining this writing movement—thank you for making room for students’ stories, questions, and mixed feelings. And to the fifth-grade writer who shared her Seed of Encouragement: thank you for reminding us what care can grow.
With community and care,
Laura Brief
CEO, 826 National Youth Writing
