ProblemsSolutionsand A Book of Advice for Random Topics in Weird Situations
FIRST EDITION 2022 AN 826MICHIGAN DIGITAL PUBLICATION Advice from Writing for Change Summer 2022 Writers Club ProblemsSolutionsand A Book of Advice for Random Topics in Weird Situations
Many thanks to the Writing for Change Summer 2022 students and volunteers for their participation in this field trip.
Maya Jain, After-school Program Coordinator
Copyright © 2022 by 826michigan and Blotch Books.
All rights reserved by 826michigan, the many whims of Drs. T & G Blotch, and the authors.
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826 National’s Commitment to Inclusion
Staff Megan Shuchman, Executive Director
826michigan
As an organization committed to encouraging youth in their creative expression, personal growth, and academic success, 826 National and its chapters recognize the importance of diversity at all levels and in all aspects of our work. In order to build and maintain the safe, supportive 826 environment in which great leaps of learning occur, we commit to inclusion: We will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, nationality, marital status, English fluency, parental status, immigration status, military service, or disability.
Catherine Calabro Cavin, Education Director Frances Martin, Operations Director
The views expressed in this book are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of 826michigan. We believe in the power of youth voice and are thrilled that you picked up this book. No part of this book may be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher, except for small excerpts for the purposes of review or scholarly study.
Table of Contents Problems and Solutions Advice from the Writing for Change Summer 2022 Writers Club ..................................... 3 Inklings from Writers Club Squids Chaemi Kim ............................................................. 7 Judy Choi 8 Korrin McKissic .................................................... 9 Kyurin Kim ............................................................ 10 Lmar Sedawi .......................................................... 11 Manoj Lokam ........................................................ 12 Sydney Wade ......................................................... 13 Taylor Phillips ..................................................... 15 Teague Stewart 16 Problems and Solutions Write Your Own Inklings ..................................... 20 Acknowledgments 24
vi | Writing for Change summer 2022 Writers club
Advice from the Writing for Change Summer 2022 Writers Club
Quackenbush DEAR QUINTON Q. QUACKENBUSH,
Last, you should invite friends and have a fun, all-nighter sleepover party. How many friends you invite will depend on the size of the room.
QuintonSincerely,Q.
First, you should measure the room. How big is it? What you should do depends on the size of the room. Then, if it’s big, you can put lots of TVs and games in the room and dedicate a space for a hamster, small dog, or another kind of pet, as well as a hot tub. If it’s small, you can make it a cozy room with pillows and a fireplace. Next, hide a mini fridge in the room, so you can store your snacks secretly. Make sure you have gummy bears, M&M chocolates, and every type of Lay’s chips.
Inklings from spectacular Squids | 3 Dear 826, I’ve recently discovered a secret room in my house and it’s completely empty. What should I do with it?.
Sincerely, WRITING FOR CHANGE WRITERS CLUB
Inklings from Writers Club Squids
Inklings from spectacular Squids | 7
Sincerely, CHAEMI KIM
My younger sister has started copying every single thing I do. How do I get her to stop?
DEARSincerely,MiraEchoMIRA ECHO, Hi Mira! I am Chaemi, and I also have a sister like you. Even if she doesn’t copy everything I do, she did when she was younger. I was very annoyed at her then. But now I kind of feel sorry for her that I yelled at her every time she copied me. Now, I know that she copied me because she loved me sooooo much and I was her role model. But as the time went on, she got her own style and her own ways. She wouldn’t even listen to me when I talked to her. And for the solution to your question. First thing you can do is just ignore her. After a few months or so she will stop copying you. Second, you can tell her to stop in a very kind way.
8 | Writing for Change summer 2022 Writers club There is a unicorn inside of my room staring at me for 5 minutes. What should I do? TotallySincerely,SpookedDEARTOTALLY SPOOKED, 1. Think about if it’s a bad unicorn or good unicorn. 2. If it’s a good unicorn, you can try to become friends with it, and if it’s bad, you can run away from them or calmly call the police. (Or for either, you can hope for the best situation for you.) Sincerely, JUDY CHOI
Inklings from spectacular Squids | 9 I’m going to a new school. All the other kids have PlayStation 5, but my family can’t afford it, so I feel like no one at my new school will welcome me. What do I do? DEARSincerely,NewKidNEW KID, First, you should watch a video about programming and take classes. Then, you should raise money for programming and building classes. Next, you should make your own devices for cheap, become rich, and give money. Last, you should take revenge with your gucci PS5. Sincerely, KORRIN MCKISSIC
10 | Writing for Change summer 2022 Writers club Dear 826, Help! I just opened my front door, and there are 48 miniature unicorns standing right outside. It’s like they’re all waiting for me. What do I do? TotallySincerely,SpookedDEARTOTALLY SPOOKED, If I meet forty-eight mini unicorns, I would shoo them away. If they don’t go away, I would . . . 1. Sell them 2. Keep them 3. Don’t panic 4. Live in a cupcake far away 5. Make a day care for them Sincerely, KYURIN KIM
Next: Write a to-do list of all the things you like and can do.
I have a lot of school. In fact, I have school all of the time. But I finally have a day off coming up_problem is, I have no idea how to spend it. Since days off are rare, I want to make sure I have the perfect day. What should I do? What should I eat? Who should I
InaSincerely,see?BreadwinnerDEARINABREADWINNER,
Last: Have fun and be in a good mood.
First: Think about things that you like; like what your favorite food is, things to do, and more.
Then: See what is possible for you to do.
Sincerely, LMAR SEDAWI
Inklings from spectacular Squids | 11
If you see a time machine, don’t go up to it. Also, how do you know it is a time machine, have you seen a time machine before?? Maybe you are the time traveler in this situation, or maybe you are lying to me about finding a time machine. Well, if you are not a time traveler, then I guess you can hand it over to the government. Don’t worry, you will probably get paid for getting it. They will also be investigating the area. But don’t travel, it’s too risky to trust a time machine that you have just found. And yes, you should be worried because that machine might have come from the enemies of us in the future trying to bring us down, so in the future we will not be a threat to them, or something like that. But don’t trust it, it came from someone and it is very unlikely it came randomly. So you should probably run. But…this might be a series idea for Netflix in the future.
A time machine has suddenly appeared in my house! What time should I travel to? What should I see in that time period? Is there anything I should be concerned about?
Sincerely,HannibalC.
12 | Writing for Change summer 2022 Writers club
Sincerely, MANOJ LOKAM
Quantumship DEAR HANNIBAL C. QUANTUMSHIP,
InaSincerely,see?BreadwinnerDEARINABREADWINNER,
Inklings from spectacular Squids | 13 I have a lot of school. In fact, I have school all of the time. But I finally have a day off coming up_problem is, I have no idea how to spend it. Since days off are rare, I want to make sure I have the perfect day. What should I do? What should I eat? Who should I
How to spend your day off:
Then: From 6:45 to 7:05, you get in the bed to go to sleep.
First: From 7:30 to 9:15am, you binge watch TV.
Next: From 9:30 to 6:45, you go to the mall with your friends.
Sincerely, SYDNEY WADE
Then: From 9:15 to 9:30, you make the perfect breakfast.
I also think that a good idea would be to write to the writers, producers, and leaders in Marvel about this problem and how you personally would like to see much more representation
My favorite movies don’t have enough diversity. I love Spiderman and Iron Man and Black Widow, but none of them look like me. What do I do? DEAR AVENGERS, It can be tough and sometimes frustrating when the characters you see on TV and in movies don’t look like you or reflect your heritage. I recommend that you check out Disney+’s Asian and Pacific Islander Stories Collection because they have a wide variety of movies and shows with main characters that are a part of AAPI and that may look like you. Some recommendations from Marvel that I recommend are Ms. Marvel and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Ms. Marvel is about a Muslim, Pakistani American girl named Kamala Khan who lives in New Jersey. She is a huge Captain Marvel fan and a fan of the Avengers and the whole MCU in general. Her whole world changes when she finds a magical bangle that unlocks her powers. It is an amazing series for the whole family to watch. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is another great movie about a Chinese American man who gets powers and basically saves the world from some
. . .
14 | Writing for Change summer 2022 Writers club
Sincerely,Avengers Assemble
Inklings from spectacular Squids | 15 for people that look like you on the big screen. You might also like to add some AAPI characters in the comics that you would like to see in actual movies and shows because I actually found around 20 AAPI characters in the MCU (including within the movies and comics). Sincerely, TAYLOR PHILLIPS
16 | Writing for Change summer 2022 Writers club Everything I touch turns instantly into cheese. At first it was great, but now I miss my books and games, and also, I’m getting sick of the smell of cheddar. What do I do? DEARCheezedSincerely,OutCHEEZED OUT, I am sorry everything you touch turns into cheese. To answer your question, maybe you should stop touching stuff, or because you need to eat and sleep, you could wear gloves. But if you like cheese, you could touch boxes or stuff and eat it or sell it. Sincerely, TEAGUE STEWART
Inklings from spectacular Squids | 17 Illustrate your good advice
18 | Writing for Change summer 2022 Writers club
Write Your Own Inklings
20 | Writing for Change summer 2022 Writers club Author SolutionProblemName Then,First,
Inklings from spectacular Squids | 21 AndNext,then,
22 | Writing for Change summer 2022 Writers club About the Author Finally,
Inklings from spectacular Squids | 23 Illustrate your good advice
ElizabethChenLe Rachita AmeliaCharlotteMohantaMoorePopowicsKaitSteeleElisaWilcox
Acknowledgments 826michigan Publications Team Jessica Pace, Designer/Illustrator Robyn Charles, Publications Editor Kristen Boudreau, Copy Editor Fieldtrip Volunteers Michelle Ascrizzi Fatima Bazzi Kristen Boudreau
Xinyu
Kraken the Code: HOW TO GIVE GREAT ADVICE Wait to be asked IT’S JUST GOOD MANNERS Tell your story STORIES HELP US REMEMBER Get to the point BE SPECIFIC & KEEP OUR ATTENTION Break it up BABY STEPS! Give it some feeling EMOTIONS HELP US MAKE CONNECTIONS Inspire to action CREATIVITY PLUS MOVEMENT EQUALS IMPROVEMENT Be kind EVERYONE IS DOING THEIR BEST
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The 826 National network is committed to encouraging youth to express themselves and to use the written word to effectively do so. We encourage our students to write, take chances, make decisions, and finish what they start. And 826 strives to do this in an environment free from discrimination and exclusion. by Gerald Richards, CEO
Through our inclusion statement, our internal diversity and inclusion group, cultural competency resources provided to staff and volunteers, and partnerships with other organizations, we are always working towards being a more inclusive and supportive organization.
We at 826 have the privilege of working with the next generation of scholars, teachers, doctors, artists, lawyers, and writers. It's our job to make sure they are able to take their own stands. As an organization committed to encouraging youth in their creative expression, personal growth, and academic success, 826 National and its chapters recognize the importance of diversity at all levels and in all aspects of our work. In order to build and maintain the safe, supportive 826 environment in which great leaps in learning happen, we commit ourselves to inclusion: we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, nationality, marital status, English fluency, parental status, military service, or disability.
826 National was inspired to take a stand on issues of inclusion and diversity in light of the many events that spotlighted social and racial injustices throughout the country. We as educators, volunteers, and caring adults need to be aware of the wide range of issues our students face on a day-to-day basis. We need to support these young people as they navigate through and try to make sense of the world and their own identities. We need the support and the feedback from our community to ensure 826 is living up to these standards.
826michigan inspires school-aged students to write with skill and confidence in collaboration with adult volunteers in their communities. Find out more 826michigan.org!at
