July Newsletter

A letter from Our Executive Director

Dear friends,

Today marks just over a month since I joined 826 MSP as the Executive Director. On my second day of work, I had the pleasure of attending the release party for our newest anthology, Rehumanize Me. The release of this book was a culmination of efforts by staff, students, and a broader community of 826 MSP supporters. The book release event was reflective of 826 MSP’s mission to amplify the voices, stories, and power of K-12 BIPOC students through writing, publishing, and leadership programs. 

During my first month with 826 MSP, I had the privilege of interacting with colleagues and supporters as they served our students and communities. I closely observed how staff and volunteers work with students, cultivating their creative spirit, voice, and process in our Outdoors Outspoken summer program. I particularly enjoyed our field trip to Metro Transit headquarters where we learned about innovations such as electric buses and the role of public transportation in creating a healthier environment by improving air quality, reducing oil consumption, and promoting better land-use policies.

I am immensely grateful to the outgoing Executive Director, Samantha Sencer-Mura, for her guidance during the transition period and her continued dedication to the mission of 826 MSP. It is an incredible honor for me to work with such dedicated staff, board members, and volunteers committed to serving the educational needs of our community. 

As we begin a new fiscal year and prepare for another school year, I am reflecting on how indispensable your support has been to the success of 826 MSP. I donated to our Next Chapter Fund because I know how critical it is to the success of our mission. I hope you will be able to join me in helping our organization raise $10,000 this summer to help launch this Next Chapter.

Donate Here

Regards,
Jamal Adam

Photograph by Uche Iroegbu.

Student Spotlight

This summer, our students are exploring climate justice in their creative writing through our Outdoors Outspoken program! During our Food and Farming unit, Leyat wrote this piece in response to the prompt, "Write an ode to a Minnesota crop."

Upcoming Events

  • Save the date! August 26 is 826 Day. Join us to celebrate our organization's favorite holiday with food and writing activities. More information to come.

  • Join us at the following events this summer:

Supporter Spotlight

826 MSP