Welcome to the Board Janine, Hanna, Amelia, and Nicole!

Chapter 510’s new strategic plan doubles down on our mission to elevate the voices of Oakland’s Black, brown, and queer youth. In this shifting political and social landscape, our young people need a safe community to express themselves, and we need to hear them. Building on a decade of engagement, our plan amplifies our commitment to holding space for youth.

Thank you so much for joining us and Sista Scifi at The World as It Could Be with best-selling author Nnedi Okorafor and Kemi Ashing-Giwa. Together, through ticket sales and generous gifts at the event, you helped raise $25,000 to power our free creative writing programs.

On November 16, Chapter 510 celebrated the release of MOODY MYSTERIES, an anthology by 4th & 5th graders from Oakland! Ten amazing young authors crafted thrilling stories full of sleuths, sidekicks, and supervillains.

We are excited to share our Evaluation Report as well as messages from Chapter 510 alums, sharing the lasting impact of our programs and workshops!

Start 2025 off right by getting a poetry prescription for ailments of all kinds! Chapter 510’s magical storefront, The Dept. of Make / Believe, has officially launched its Pneumatic Poetry Prescription Service. Featuring 50 youth-penned poems from the past 10 years of our free writing programs, these prescriptions promise potent and inspiring cures for whatever feelings you may be having.

A warm congratulations to this year’s Youth Advisory Board cohort for wrapping up the year! Under the guidance of teaching artists Marabet Morales and Duane Horton, the inaugural Youth Advisory Board cohort had a prolific year of leadership development.

Come visit Chapter 510’s Youth Booth at the Bay Area Book Festival this Sunday June 2 from 11am-5pm!

At the Spring Lit Fest on Saturday May 18, Chapter 510 celebrated the release of two new youth written anthologies, Hello From Somewhere and House Where the Earth Quakes, as well as Hoover Elementary School’s MEGALAND virtual theme park.

We are so excited to share highlights from the 2022-2023 school year, including the results of our first-ever external impact evaluation, program accomplishments, student and teacher spotlights, and where we’re headed next!

WELCOME TO THE BOARD APUR PATEL, JAMES “JAMIE” SAMPSON, AND TOVA RICARDO!

Did you know that Chapter 510 holds creative writing workshops at several Oakland public schools? Our school-based projects are ongoing partnerships with OUSD teachers, administrators, and students.

Here is an interview with Janet Heller, Executive Director, about Chapter 510’s impact on a classroom at Hoover Elementary School.

Our very first set of book reviews! Oakland Voices correspondents read and reviewed newly published books by Chapter 510. This is part one, so more reviews are forthcoming!