CHAPTER 510 visits the international library of young authors!
Last month Chapter 510 staff got the opportunity to visit the International Library of Young Authors, a space created in partnership with The Hawkins Project. The library showcases youth writing from centers around the world, including several by Chapter 510’s very own writers . To accrue this work, the library has partnered with 85 nonprofits to provide a diverse collection of writing spanning over 1,000 books. All stories are organized and displayed according to their location and sponsoring nonprofit, representing more than 20 states and five countries.
As you explore the library, you are welcomed by cozy, imaginative reading nooks and shelves lined high with anthologies, graphic novels, and more. Tucked in the back of the library is even a secret room filled with files of archival work produced by influential figures before the age of 18, including Greta Thunberg’s speech to the UN she wrote at 16 – a young person whose leadership first took shape through her writing .
We’re proud to showcase Chapter 510 titles like Light Made the Storm Blind, Bravery Is In Us, and What If An Artist Ruled The World at the library, and are thrilled that they’re finding their way into new hands.
While the books aren’t currently available for check out, the library is publishing an anthology this spring representing the work of the International Alliance of Writing Centers. This anthology, titled "How Can We Make This World Worth Knowing?” will feature our Chapter 510 youth writers, past and present, alongside over 200 authors around the globe – all harnessing the power of their own stories to advocate for themselves and the world.
Jade Howe, curator of the International Library of Young Authors, shares, "Our hope with this anthology is to allow people to sample work from every single writing program in the library. Since some of our work is one of a kind, we need to keep it here in our archive to preserve it. With the anthology, people will be able to take a piece of the library home with them to share with their own young writers. Hopefully it can inspire them to write their own stories."
India Claudy, the managing editor of the anthology, shares, "Oakland is home to some remarkable artists, writers, and thinkers, and we aim to platform and celebrate its next generation of changemakers."
During our visit we also had the opportunity to meet Dave Eggers – author and co-founder of 826 Valencia and McSweeney’s Publishing. As a long-time champion and supporter of Chapter 510, he spoke more about the library’s purpose and emphasized the urgency for Oakland youth to be seen and heard across the bridge and beyond.
"I’m so glad Chapter 510 is part of this international community. Their stories provide a permanent and beautiful document of the minds of young people in Oakland today," shared Eggers.
Chapter 510 has been committed to publishing student work since we began supporting young authors ten years ago. Our approach has allowed Oakland youth to find joy and power in writing, leading to greater confidence and skill that they can carry with them into the world.
Seeing the work of our Chapter 510 authors displayed and recognized outside of our space and in the company of youth writing from around the world, reinforces the importance of ensuring youth voices are uplifted, especially during a time of crisis in our country. Young people are the authors of their future and their words have the power to make change.
For young authors, seeing their work held and read beyond the spaces in which they were created affirms that their stories matter and deserve to be handled with care and intention. The International Library of Young Authors lives as a reminder to our authors that there is power in publishing, and that their ideas can shape and influence not only their communities, but the world.
