With Thanks To @maryhimes, Allison Fallon, Darcy Hicks, Abu Bility and @unloadusa For Inspiring Presentations

It's hard to believe that a year has gone by since the #UNLOAD collaboration with the Unload Foundation, the Fairfield University Art Museum, Central Middle School, Project Citizen, and numerous campus talks. What is more remarkable to me is how quickly time has gone by, and how quickly the power of the work has grown and been shared around the nation.

Abu, Allison and I presented in Alabama, and this Fall we were accepted to present in Baltimore, Maryland with my colleague Dr. Beth Boquet. Over 200 middle school students have attended our workshops and seen the exhibition, and Allison had them return to 8th grade to write extremely powerful pieces. Last summer, too, we hosted 30 youth to focus on the exhibit and several YA novels as part of Project Citizen (Kemoy still looks good in that CWP hat).

Additional, Darcy Hicks has inspired artwork in several communities and cultivated youth voices in amazing ways. The conversations are important, necessary, powerful and on the minds of young people.

That's in one year.

This summer, the crew were able to meet in one place and share their stories and vision and mission and the work they're doing to think critically and productively about gun violence in the United States. Today, they congregated during a CWP Invitational Leadership Institute for Teachers that hosted at Fairfield University. So many angles on a similar interest - guns in American society. Of greater importance, however, iss the need, reception and welcomeness from teachers who are looking for curriculum and ways to process such violence with their students: urban, suburban, rural, public, and private. Kindergarten through 12th grade, this is an issue kids are thinking about and discussing. The students are bringing these conversations to teachers, wondering how previous generations have not found a solution or sanity in protecting young people.

It was pouring rain in Connecticut and I was surprised anyone showed up to the work today, but everyone was there, soaked, with umbrellas and desiring to learn. I am waking up this morning processing what a miraculous conversation #UNLOAD brought to the teachers. It is likely that all of these educators will bring constructive conversations back to their schools as a result.

Abu's stories. Allison's stories. Darcy's stories. Mary's stories. They, coupled with the experiences of classroom educators, made for a remarkable two-hour workshop. This is work that should be done and shared on the national level. We have a responsibility to it.