A local literacy project announced Tuesday that it was opening a new store and writing tutorial center for youth in Oakland later this week.
In 2013, inspired by the work of San Francisco’s 826 Valencia, local poet Janet Heller and former NaNoWriMo creative director Tavia Stewart-Streit started Chapter 510, a volunteer-powered literacy project that they describe as being “focused on supporting teachers and developing creative and expository writing skills for students.” On its website, it says that Chapter 510 “provides in-school tutoring, creative writing workshops, and publishing opportunities for K-12 students in Oakland,” but it hasn’t had a proper home since it began two years ago.
The new writing tutorial center and community space, which is located 2301 Telegraph in Oakland and will be completed over the next two years, will be used to host writing workshops, readings and other literary events as well as on-site tutoring for burgeoning writers.
Though the organization is currently running an IndieGoGo campaign to raise $50,000 in operational funding for its new writing center, Chapter 510 will also follow the 826 Valencia model and support itself with a storefront: The Department of Make Believe, which will open on Saturday, Dec. 4 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The store will sell items such as “portable wishing wells” and “licenses to dream.”
To learn more, visit Chapter 510’s website.
