If you could speak directly to someone in a position of power, what would you say?

826DC students from across the District answer that question. These young writers share letters they wrote to adults who hold positions of power, both in their own lives and over broader issues that impact us all. Addressed to everyone from family members and school officials to Mayor Bowser and President Trump, these letters have something to teach everyone.

"I invite you to read every letter as a listener. A listener who wonders about the experience behind each of the words. A listener who remembers what it felt like to be a young person, making your way through a day filled by decisions that adults made for you. A listener who feels our students' calls for fairness, humanity, and kindness.

Let's all be the listeners who honor the voices within each of these letters, and preserve their right to keep writing."

- Excerpt from Foreword by Robyn Lingo, 826DC Executive Director