Into the Unlikely
Into the Unlikely was written by the students of 826LA’s Write On! After School Program in 2026
Introduction
Who is your hero?
Have you ever been asked this question?
I’ve found that the answer varies. It can be your mom, your dad, your brother, sister, aunty, uncle, cousin. It can be someone in your community like the cashier at the corner store who always remembers your name, or that one teacher who makes class feel special everyday. It can be the heroes we see in books and on TV, like Miles Morales as Spiderman or Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel, using superhuman powers to save the world. It can even be yourself, for all the love and care you give in spite of all the doubt and fear.
This semester we asked the Write On! After School students to think of a hero story. It could be about the secret life of a hero, with or without superhuman powers; about a fictional or real unsung hero, someone not traditionally thought of in that way; or about themselves and their unique superpower.
I shared with my students that my unique superpower was being an older sister, something so mundane and incredibly complicated. From a young age, I learned to balance responsibility, be a role model, and care for my siblings. All were a part of my hero journey.
Students saw heroes in everyone and everywhere. Kimberly saw a hero in her brother, who never stops making her feel seen. Angie wrote about a janitor, Meyly about forest animals, Henry about a bunny. Santiago used his story to highlight the Pacific Palisades and Altadena fires and how he saw firefighters as heroes.
In a time when villains seem to feel unbeatable, using their power to destroy, these student authors remind us that being a hero never goes out of style. Even on cloudy days, heroes make the sun shine through. And they’re not often fiction, but even when they are, the kindness, community, and care that comes with their powers is just as real.
Julia Malinow
In-Schools and Tutoring Program Coordinator