Last Thursday evening, June 23 we celebrated the publication of Rhythm of the Chain: Young Writers Explore Teamwork with a reading and signing at Ánimo Inglewood Charter High School.

Despite having to miss Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Phil Jackson and his former wife June, arrived at the school an hour early in order to spend a private moment with each student, having them each sign his book and returning the favor with his own autograph. The students, all dressed with panache for the occasion, brought an incredible energy level to the classroom, paging hungrily through the book, looking for their names and waving them about to friends. Phil grinned on happily, admiring the strength of his other team.

At seven o’clock, a crowd of about two hundred filled the auditorium, paying rapt attention to the forty-two students sitting in rows under the stage lights, Phil Jackson among them. Cristina de Jesus, the school’s principal, spoke first, followed by Green Dot Schools founder Steve Barr, 826 Valencia’s executive director Nínive Calegari, and our own executive director Pilar Perez who, after a generous thank you to all involved gave the microphone to, the man who needs no introduction in Los Angeles, Phil Jackson.

Phil credited June Jackson, a former 826 Valencia volunteer, for encouraging him to get involved with the project. He also assured us that his TiVo was in proper order, recording the game at home, before reading from his introduction and quoting Rudyard Kipling: For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack. Following a thundering of applause for Jackson, teachers Annette Gonzales, Allen Monroe and Melinda Viren took turns introducing the five students chosen to read excerpts from their work.

These five young women, Christina Stewart, LaShaneè King, Allison Howard, Ariana Acevedo and Zorobabel Pruneda, each took turns behind the podium exhibiting a fierce sort of grace that is rare in even experienced writers. Christina began with an essay about the pitfalls of teamwork and Zorobabel finished to a tearful standing ovation for her essay about the loss of a classmate to gang violence.

Afterwards, all forty-two student writers took their places at an incredibly long table and spent the better part of two hours signing books for all the parents, teachers and tutors who happily stood in line. We sold out our stash of books, many proud parents buying multiple copies but they will be available for purchase at Small World Books, Equator Books, Skylight Books and Dutton’s (all proceeds from book sales benefit programming at 826LA).

We are so thrilled about the publication of this book and couldn’t have had such a terrific evening without help from the faculty at Animo Inglewood Charter High School, Steve Barr, Phil and June Jackson, all the incredible tutors who contributed so much time and energy to this project, Primitivo restaurant for taking such good care of us after the reading, and Anne Fishbein for the amazing photographs. Thank you!

Also, please join us on Saturday, July 16 from 7-9pm for another party celebrating Rhythm of the Chain at Equator Books in Venice. RSVP to info@826la.org.