On June 25, 826LA’s 6th annual fundraising event, Changing the Story, celebrated our 15th anniversary and raised crucial funds to help keep students learning during the pandemic and beyond.
The path to success is not a straight line
Amid COVID-19 and recent protests, 826LA had to pivot both its programs and its fundraising strategy.
Changing the Story had to be reimagined as a virtual event. Originally (re)planned for June 3, we decided to postpone until the 25th so we could stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Changing the world from the comfort of your home
On June 25, when Changing the Story streamed live on Twitch and YouTube, it sure looked different than it has in the past five years. Students, staff, volunteers, sponsors, and others from the 826LA community tuned in from the comfort of their homes to listen to our students’ writing.
The virtual event was hosted by comedian Al Madrigal and featured some of Hollywood’s heavy hitters: writer-producer-comedian Mindy Kaling, Academy Award-winner Tom Hanks, actress Constance Wu, “The Big Sick’s” Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, and comedian Keegan-Michael Key.
Here are a few highlights from an incredible evening:
- The class of 2020 will inspire you with their determination
- Mindy Kaling and Judd Apatow brought the laughs
- Tom Hanks cheered up a very sad lemur
Although we had to change our methods, our mission is the same
We want to extend a big shout-out and deep gratitude to our sponsors and donors: You enable us to offer free writing and tutoring programs to nearly 10,000 students each year, to be there for them in a crisis like COVID-19, and to affirm every day that they deserve to write their own futures.
Thank You
Aimee Bender, Alejandra Riguero-Meehan, Alexandra Glickman & Gayle Whittemore, Alfred Bie, Allison Thomas, Allyson Pfeifer, Amy Waterman, Amy Ziering, Andrew Lee, Andrew Kirsh, Andrew Esbenshade, Apatow-Mann Family Foundation, Ariana Berkowitz, Bad Robot, Barbara Boland, Benjamin Au & Maya Gurantz, Beth Hagenlocker, Beth Schumann, Brick Maier, Brookfield Properties, Carolyn Chuang, Carolyn & Lou Lucido, Chad DePue, Charles Ginsburg, Chelsea Rivera, Christine Wright, Christine Kim, Christopher Bulock, Claudia Taylor, Cornelia Funke, Cory Calvert, Crooked Media, Crystal Cohen, Curtis Lelas, Daniela Zaccheo, Danny Madden, David Sartory, Dawn Bailey, Devorah Gurantz, Douglas Freedman, Edward Casey, Eileen Lewis, Eileen & Kevin Shields, Eisner Foundation, Ellen Seiden, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Eric Eisner, Esther Chung, Geoffrey Sass, Georgia Eisner, Gina Adler, Greg Collins, Goldhirsh Foundation, Gotham Group, Hal Tepfer, Henry & Inell Chase, Holly Thomas, Imraan Ali, Jamie Wolf, Jamie & Scott Ginsburg, Janna King, Jeannine Bogaard, Jeff Nguyen, Jessica Kornberg, Joanna Choi, Jodie Evans, John Zanetos, Jordana Jaffe, Joseph Anton, Joseph Simantob, Judd Apatow, Julie Treinen, Katharine King, Katie Frank, Kira Snyder & Allen Blue, Lauren Cantor, Lauren Turner, Lekha Singh, Lily Fong, Lisbeth Bitar, Louise Nutt, Marc Bendavid, Marcia Vogler, Maren Levinson Marquart, Mark Pillor, Matt Cherniss, Matt McCabe, Matthew Alsdorf, Meagan Olsen, Meredith Goldberg-Morse, Meredith Russo, Middle Road Foundation, Mike Condon, Mike Van Konynenburg, Mindel Family Foundation, Monique Caulfield, Monique Demery, Nickelodeon, Nicole Small, Nora & Peter Wendel, Orit Yefet, Paramount, Paul Kubasek, Phillip Tate, Phillippe Perebinossoff, Rachel Mendelsohn, Rebecca McTavish & Jason Woliner, Richard Mazess, Rita Milch, Russell Naymark, Sara Mengesha, Sarah Rosenwald Varet & Jesse Coleman, Sarah Wick, Scott Greenberg, Sheila, Dave, and Sherry Gold Foundation, Simone LeBlanc, Sony Pictures, Stacy DePue, Stephen Ballas, Stosh Mintek, Susan Hamilburg, Susan Ko, Taino Lopez, Terena & Anders Eisner, Teri Rolley, Thomas Safran, Tracey J., Vista Investment Group, Winston Howes
If you missed it, it’s not too late to time travel to June 25.
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