Who We Are
Mission
Chapter 510 connects youth to the power of their story.
We provide a safe space for youth to bravely write, centering Black, brown and queer voices.
Vision
Every young person in Oakland writes with confidence and joy.
What We Do
Our programs include youth writing workshops at our center in OUSD schools. We've published over 100 youth-penned books and supported over 5,000 young authors in Oakland.
How We Teach
Our model has been inspired by the work of Zaretta Hammond and Studio Pathways. We believe that all children are radiant children.
Chapter 510 is unique in its commitment to a culturally-relevant, youth-centered approach. Our programs are grounded in creativity, which helps young people develop the motivation to write.
Our approach allows Oakland youth to find joy and power in writing, which leads to greater confidence and skill.
What we Value
We value…
1. We are youth-centered. We create programs for kids and teens ages 8-19. We center youth imagination, identity, and experience as an integral part of our curriculum and our community space.
2. We create lasting impact. We build in-depth, long-term programming that helps form multi-year relationships with students, educators, volunteers, donors, and partners to create lasting impact in our students’ lives.
3. We center play & imagination. We value play and imagination as essential to learning, fostering an environment of creativity, innovation, empathy, and connection.
4. We are strength-based. We believe that every young person has brilliance within them. We create an affirming and culturally competent space for young people to grow and become agents of change.
5. We are Oakland-centered. We prioritize Oakland youth, schools, artists, and vendors. We build connections between the city’s diverse communities, individuals, and organizations around arts and culture.
6. We create safe & brave spaces. We cultivate a space where young people of diverse backgrounds can express their full selves in an environment of care and compassion. We hold safe space for queer and BIPOC youth to bravely write.
7. We are committed to Justice, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. We are an anti-hate and anti-discrimination organization that fosters a space of belonging through the arts and education. We follow culturally responsive practices in teaching and publishing. We prioritize publishing youth of color in programs led by paid artists of color who reflect the communities we serve.
Jedi Statement
JEDI = Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
We are committed to anti-racism and anti-racist education, and to publishing practices that are culturally responsive.
As an organization committed to encouraging youth in their creative expression, personal growth, and academic success, Chapter 510 recognizes the importance of diversity at all levels and in all aspects of our work. In order to build and maintain the safe, supportive environment in which great leaps of learning occur, we commit to inclusion. This means inclusion when it comes to our volunteer base, our Chapter 510 staff and board, our relationships with parents, teachers, schools, and (most importantly) when it comes to our students.
We understand that fostering a truly inclusive community is an ongoing process, and that there is no endpoint to this discussion and work. We value and encourage feedback from our community, and strive to be transparent and proactive in making this statement not only a living document, but one that inspires continual action and movement. By adopting this JEDI statement, the staff and board members of Chapter 510 pledge to ourselves and to each other that we will uphold these values. Together we make an active commitment to the vibrancy of a diverse Chapter 510 network, now and into the future.