May Newsletter
ID: A family from After-School Writing Lab celebrating our latest chapbook release outdoors at our youth writing center.
In Memory of Paul Von Drasek
ID: Paul Von Drasek pictured in front of bookshelves at our youth writing center
We honor the life of a fierce champion of young writers and a dear friend to 826 MSP, Paul Von Drasek, who passed away on May 16.
Paul was a board member with 826 MSP, formerly Mid-Continent Oceanographic Institute, from 2013-2019. He played many roles within our organization, including Vice Board Chair. Most importantly, Paul was an incredible volunteer with our organization, across many of our programs. He was a patient and kind after-school tutor, an incredible cranky captain in our field trips program, and a steadfast Young Authors' Book Project volunteer. He volunteered for the program year after year, helping youth produce five beautiful anthologies that live on as a testament to his spirit.
Read more about Paul's impact here, and thank you to all who have made a gift to 826 MSP in his memory.
Student Spotlight
Our newest chapbook is here! Featuring pieces like the one below, we are proud, humbled, and inspired by the ways our students have used their words to confront, process, and—sometimes—find an escape from these unprecedented times.
Upcoming Events
826 MSP office is closed May 31 for Memorial Day.
Trivia for Cheaters is on June 24! Make your team today!
Publication Spotlight
We had so much fun at our drive-thru chapbook release party last week! Here, Abdiaziz poses with The Last Book in the Universe. Get your copy today!
The last book in the universe. After such a strange, surreal, and mind-bogglingly challenging year, we’d almost believe it. Every story, poem, and essay in this chapbook was written by students in 826 MSP’s virtual After-School Writing Lab and Young Authors’ Council programs. With guidance and encouragement from staff and volunteer tutors, these young authors wrote their way through everything this year had to throw at them—and more. Rest assured, reader, you’ll find enough stories, worlds, and universes between these pages to sustain you for quite a while.
Order The Last Book in the Universe today!
Supporter Spotlight
ID: Authors Kao Kalia Yang and Shannon Gibney are pictured next to two images of protests with signs that read “Stop Asian Hate” and “Black Power Supports Yellow Peril.”
May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! We had the honor of facilitating an event focused on Black and Asian Solidarity Across the Arts with South High students and two authors, Kao Kalia Yang and Shannon Gibney. Read a summary of this powerful conversation here.
We are so grateful to our spring interns, Laura, Zeinab, and Kayla, for their hard work, creativity, and dedication to our young writers!
Applications are open for summer internships until May 31! Learn more here to apply for an Education Internship or a Communications and Development Internship with 826 MSP.