Wonderful to Host Loyola High School from Der Salaam, Tanzania at this Summer's @Writingproject Teacher Leadership Institute and Young Adult Literacy Labs @CWPFairfield

We had a fantastic day introducing ourselves to the teachers from Tanzania and folding them into our summer programs. Down the hall, we also welcomed 9 youth to add to our 32 attending Ubuntu Academy. It was such a fantastic day that Abu didn't want it to end, so we made dinner plans with them and came back to campus to have more conversations and to learn from one another. 

At one point in the day we brought the teachers and kids together to read, write, discuss, play, think, and communicate. It's always wonderful when we can divide youth in threes to talk with adults. It results in phenomenal conversations, new learning, and opportunities. 

In the afternoon, too, we were graced by Barbara Robbins and Fola Sumpter who discussed four years of cross-district book clubs and writing opportunities, pointing out the current political environment is doing a number on opportunities their students have cherished for years. The suburban administrators are putting a squash on such learning because of the State of Fear being fired up by extremists in their community. Hatred has so much muscle. It's sickening, really. 

It was a wonderfully collaborative day where teachers and young people learned side by side in a safe space for exploring language, words, cultural histories, and joy. That was the sunshine we were after and the kids brought it. The educators in the room simply let it warm our skin and give us comfort.

Today, our planned visit to Weir Farm National Historical Park was suspended due to the heat advisory in the northeast. The park system had to close down and we needed to switch up all the events for today. We're good, though. We're the National Writing Project family and we know how to adapt on our toes in an instant.

Plus, the work we do is simply magical. It all comes together.