826 Valencia

I was first introduced to 826 Valencia by a good friend of mine. Days after we were discussing our respective ideal situations for employment, I received an email from him with the subject line "I found your dream job," accompanied by this link: http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/233. He was right. Dream job. The clip is about 20 minutes long, but well worth it. Please watch it. You'll like it. You may love it like I do. At the very least it will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

In summary (for those who don't want to watch the clip despite my encouragement), 826 Valencia was started by professional writers who wanted to give back to the community. They moved their offices into a retail space in San Francisco and created a space for a tutoring center for kids. The space they rented out was zoned as retail space, though, and so they had to come up with something to sell. They settled on a pirate supply shop. And the project only grew from there. Seriously, watch the clip.

The first time I watched this video I was struck with the generosity of these writers. And their ingenuity. And creativity. There are too many homes where children are not receiving the attention they need to succeed in the fundamentals, let alone to inspire creativity. For these writers to recognize the need and to do something was enough to make me want to pack my bags and move to San Francisco (not that I'm a great writer, but just to be involved in a project like this...). It's not often you can get lots of kids to willingly engage in anything that appears to be even remotely related to school. But, put them in an environment where they are working side-by-side with professional writers, as well as other more advanced writers, in a fun environment (who desn't like pirates, I mean really...and even better...a pirate supply store!) and you can't keep them away! In addition to that, give them an opportunity to have their writing and ideas legitimized through publication and you've got a dynamite program. It is such an effective way to learn and grow.

These guys also understand that this goes beyond just helping kids be successful in school. It provides them with real life mentors. These one-on-one tutoring opportunities often go beyond the homework assignment. You can't help but influence those you serve. These kids are getting an opportunity they might not otherwise have. It not only increases the quality of their lives but also the lives of their families. And as Dave Eggers reminds us in this clip, happy families equal happy communities, happy communities make happy cities and a happy world. By small and simple things... ("it all comes down to homework" he jokes).

Take a look around 826 Valencia's website, especially if you like pirates. You can also look at the 826 National website to see their other writing centers around the country (the superhero storefront is my other favorite). If you live in any of these areas, I would encourage you to support their efforts, whether it be financially or with a donation of your time. I know I don't often push stuff like this, but I really believe in what they are doing and hope that others will catch the vision. It really is a brilliant approach. Kids feel less like they are in school and more like they are somewhere fun. The atmosphere inspires creativity. And when you have a speciality shop (like a pirate supply store) you are bound to get a mix of the delightful and the crazy. What better inspiration for writing than people-watching.

Also take a look at the store page. It's a treasure trove for great pirate stuff (you can order online!) as well as a funny log of the happenings in the store. I wish I worked there for so many reasons.

Oh, and for those who are familiar with http://www.mcsweeneys.net/, these are the same guys.
(Someone's gchat tagline with the John Hodgman 9/11 link reminded me that I wanted to blog about 826 but hadn't!)