Where Young Voices Find Their Power Through Writing

Step into the Time Travel Marts in Echo Park or Mar Vista, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by quirky items like “robot milk” and “anti-cloning fluid” – time travel essentials. But behind these whimsical storefronts lies something far more powerful: 826LA’s mission to amplify the voices of Los Angeles youth through the transformative art of writing. “The Time Travel Marts signal to entering students that, here, creativity reigns supreme,” says Jaime Balboa, 826LA’s executive director.

“Adults don’t listen to young people enough,” Balboa says. 826LA gives students an opportunity not only to discover their own voices, but to hone them and have them published. “Publication provides validation for students while introducing their work into broader discussions,” he continues. This philosophy drives everything the organization does, from after-school tutoring to innovative field trip programs that turn every child into a published author.

Now celebrating its 20th year, 826LA serves over 8,000 students annually – 90% young people of color, 72% from low-income backgrounds, and 22% English language learners. The organization operates free writing labs in Echo Park and Mar Vista, plus free writing rooms in high schools in underserved communities across the city. 

Students thrive in programs like their signature field trip experience, where kids collaborate on shared stories under the fictional pressure of Professor Barnacle, a cranky boss who demands each student publish their own book by lunchtime. By afternoon, they’re holding actual published books complete with their author photos and bios, making them legitimate published authors.

At the cornerstone of all of 826LA’s programs is the knowledge that a strong writing program fosters academic success, personal growth, and career readiness. 

Their impact can be seen in the snapshots of their students’ trajectories. Like Luis, who found 826LA while a student in high school, who received crucial help with college essays. He’s now a college graduate working successfully at a large real estate development company. 

Their free after-school programs serve hundreds of kids annually, providing homework help and creating what Balboa calls a “third space” between home and school, complete with adult role models. The organization also supported 641 students through workshop experiences last year, covering everything from ethical AI use in writing to art-inspired creativity at venues like the Hammer Museum.

Balboa, a trained English teacher from Michigan, was drawn to 826LA because it combines his love of writing with a joyful teaching approach that avoids the “red ink” mentality he disliked in traditional education. Instead, 826LA celebrates student voice and creativity.