Meet Our Grantee-Partner: 916 Ink
Photo courtesy of 916 Ink
Mission: 916 Ink is Sacramento’s arts-based creative writing and literacy nonprofit that provides workshops and tutoring to transform Sacramento youth into strong readers, confident communicators, and published authors.
916 Ink envisions a Sacramento region where every child and teen can access culturally relevant creative writing programs. To this end, 916 Ink staff and volunteers facilitate programs for students in grades 3-6 that seek to increase literacy, improve vocabulary, teach empathy, positively impact social and emotional learning, and expand communication skills. The programming encourages young people to believe in themselves, see themselves as creative, and understand the power of the written word. Since 2010, 916 Ink has published more than 5,000 young authors and 200 professional anthologies of student work.
916 Ink prioritizes serving students who have been identified by the State of California as needing additional instructional support. This includes youth who are living in poverty, experiencing homelessness, involved in the juvenile justice system, foster youth, English language learners, and ethnic or racial subgroups. 916 Ink programs provide these students with a venue to solve problems, engage with peers and trusted adults, and build academic confidence.
Photo courtesy of 916 Ink
Poetry has been an impactful tool for inspiring students and getting them excited about creative writing. Many students come with a static opinion about poetry, and they are encouraged to explore and experiment with the form through a series of writing prompts. 916 Ink believes that when a student has the space to play with poetry in many forms, they gain a deeper understanding of literary devices and techniques and their own ability to create and communicate through poetry.
Photo courtesy of 916 Ink
After receiving a Poetry Programs, Partnerships, and Innovation grant, 916 Ink has been able to provide free genre-based poetry workshops for Sacramento students in grades 6-12. Called “Write Your Way,” these workshops cover different modes of poetic writing, including visual and hip-hop poetry. The workshops, which engage students who speak multiple languages, also help them learn how to discuss challenging topics, such as mental health. The grant helps 916 Ink fulfill the goal of supporting the growth of a vibrant and healthy Sacramento County where young people can identify and achieve their goals.