Books for Breakfast was held on November 17 at the More Than Words bookstore, and featured New York Times bestselling author Isaac Fitzgerald, author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts.
This annual breakfast fundraiser also featured talented young voices, including 826 Boston alumna Agnes Ugoji and 826 Boston Youth Literary Advisory Board member Oriana Dunker.
Dunker opened the morning by reading an excerpt from the poem she wrote in This Side Of The Hill: Poetic Maps Of Our Neighborhoods.
“The Boston I know is the Boston that made me
It’s the Boston I’m proud to call home
the city that gave me life.”
Ugoji—who was named one of Boston’s 150 Women of Influence and Massachusetts’ first Youth Poet Laureate—shared stories about her journey as a writer, immigrant, and woman.
“Mastering the art of storytelling has been fundamental in my academic and personal growth…I am the woman standing confidently in front of you today because someone validated my struggle and saw the value of my single story and invested in my growth,” she said.
Finally, Isaac Fitzgerald—who is also a Boston native—took the stage to share stories and inspire the audience. Fitzgerald recounted the time he volunteered at 826 Valencia, and how that experience affected his journey as a writer and taught him the power of community.
“I got to work with these astonishingly talented kids and watch them grow as writers, and at the same time, I got to take notes,” he said. “I got to figure out how to put a story together.”
Fitzgerald also read aloud from his children’s book How to Be a Pirate, a book encouraging kids (and adults) to be brave and to believe in themselves.
A big thank you to our individual donors, corporate sponsors, and media sponsors who made this event possible.
Photos by Leise Jones Photography
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