Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles that will highlight the creative work of young students in the 826 MSP program, which aims to “amplify the voices, stories and power of K-12 BIPOC students.”
“It’s a park without a park,” remarks my 8-year-old student Leyat, glancing across Minnehaha Avenue at the sad-looking triangle of grass designated a “tiny park” by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. Where’s the playground? other students ask. The flowers? The water fountain?
For the 12 students in Outdoors Outspoken, a summer program from 826 MSP, a youth writing and publishing program in south Minneapolis — and the place where I’ve worked for the past five years — questions like these are part of the curriculum. Outdoors Outspoken aims to amplify young people’s voices on issues of climate change and environmental justice through creative writing, art and social action.
This summer, students have splashed around in Minnehaha Falls, visited a Metro Transit bus garage, met with a Park Board commissioner, learned about our state’s Indigenous roots, stenciled storm drains and harvested onions on an urban farm — all while expressing their ideas, feelings and hopes for our planet’s future through writing.
At the end of the program, students published their stories, poems and artwork in a zine and held a release party to share their work with family and community members. I am excited to share some of their writing with the Streets.mn audience and make their important, timely words accessible to more readers.
In My City
by Faisa, age 9
In my city it’s busy
In my city people play
In my city it’s colorful
In my city there’s pride
In my city there’s litter
In my city there shouldn’t be litter
In my city there must be fairness
In my city we need equality.
Climate Change
by Samira, age 11
Blue skies
Black air,
Brown water,
oily lakes,
suffering children,
starving families,
lost homes,
hurricanes,
flash floods,
storms,
death,
climate change.
Cherish
by Hamza, age 12
I took a tour
I saw our climate
I saw that this world
did not really care for that,
was very defiant.
But I was praying
this world really isn’t changing
Joe Biden was doing amazing
All bad people are just breaking
the robbers just keep taking
the drought keeps the ground flaking.
The adjustment Joe Biden
is making, it’s like people
are saying
But in reality I
care, but other people
don’t, so that’s not
fair.
826 MSP’s mission is to amplify the voices, stories and power of K-12 BIPOC students through writing, publishing and leadership programs. To learn more about 826 MSP, check out our website or visit us on social media @826msp (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). Photos courtesy of 826 MSP.