Our Supporters

We couldn't do it without you!

We are a small but mighty force of teachers and artists, who are here for the sole purpose of giving young people a way to tell their stories, whatever form that takes. Writing can free your soul or a nation, help your heart heal or the world grow, or reveal who you really are or want to be.

Every organization and individual listed here understands the importance of creative writing and why supporting Uptown Stories is vital to our young writers, and the community of upper Manhattan. Thank you for supporting us – we couldn’t do it without you!

Major Funders

Ava's Smile
Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation
Elephant Rock Foundation
Find Your Light Foundation
Kettering Family Philanthropies
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine
Medical Center Neighborhood Fund
NY State Senator Robert Jackson
William T. Grant Foundation
The Hyde and Watson Foundation
Leon Levy Foundation
The Matisse Foundation
Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation
NYC City Council
Discretionary Funding Carmen De La Rosa
NYC Department of
Cultural Affairs (DCLA)
UMEZ Hybrid Microloan
NewYork-Presbyterian
New York State Council on the Arts

Community Supporters

Buunni Coffee
Cornerstone Center
HEIGHTSIGHTS
Le Cheile NYC
A Sign of Success
Word Up Community Bookshop

Community Partners

Bank Street School For Children
SONYC
Early RAPP
Hudson Cliffs
Harbor Heights
Columbia Secondary School
The Uptown Hub / NewYork-Presbyterian
Cabrini Immigrant Services NYC
Gregorio Luperon High School for Science and Mathematics
Muscota New School
My daughter takes her writing seriously because Uptown Stories takes her seriously.

Kimberly

Parent

The quality of teaching is superb. The teachers have the chance to get to know each child, and due to the small class size, the feedback is very specific. Also, witnessing the other children critique the writing is remarkable - the children are kind and respectful, but very honest.

Lori

Parent

Writing used to be something that was just work; something we have to do at school. However, now it's a way for me to express different things, and it's much more enjoyable now that there is a place where everyone has the same passion for writing that I do.

Anna

Student

My daughter’s writing has improved tremendously. She loves writing now. She can sit for hours and let her imagination fly.

Annie

Parent

Being able to expand my mind in a loving and supportive environment has shaped my mind in so many wonderful ways, and I'm eternally grateful for it. I've come a long way, and it's all thanks to the community at Uptown Stories.

Susannah

Student

Uptown Stories has helped my writing in the sense that it allowed me to realize that this is my passion and that I want to pursue it as a career. It opened my eyes to the possibilities that creative writing has to offer. I think that anyone can get something out of attending Uptown Stories.

Graydon

Alumnus

I would not be the writer I am today without Uptown Stories.

Elias

Alumnus

Uptown Stories redefined "after school enrichment" for me. The kids were learning the fundamentals of good writing, but in a way that felt like a fun romp, rather than a two-hour slog through rules and thesis statements.

HK

Parent

Ready to Join a Workshop?

Screenwriting Lab

What do K-Pop Demon Hunters, Star Wars, and The Hunger Games have in common? They all started as great ideas, that were turned into awesome stories, then into unbelievable movies. If you have a great movie idea, here's your chance to get busy writing it down. Make your story jump off the page and onto the screen!

We'll show you how to write a mini-script just like the professionals that includes scene headings, dialogue, transitions, and camera shots. You'll work with your fellow screenwriters to get and give suggestions as you all write the next summer blockbuster. Ideas for action, comedy, drama or anything in between are welcome! At the end of the session, you'll bring your film to life, acting it out with your classmates in front of an audience packed with your family and friends.

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Zine Machine

Welcome to Zine Machine! We’re a self-publishing group of rebels spreading the word on things we think you should know. Obscure cat breeds? Survival tips for a zombie apocalypse? Favorite board games? All must-read zines.

In this workshop, we only have one rule: we’re all analog all the time. Think collage, hand-drawn images, markers, and glue. Once you lay out your first edition, we’ll use the time-honored way of mass-producing your Zine: the photocopier. Zines may sound like a simple idea, but they have started revolutions and educated the masses. Be loud, be crafty, and tell the world what it needs to know!

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Snobby Poetry

We welcome you to Snobby Poetry, should you be up for the challenge. We’re a self-motivated, uber-supportive band of misfits who read, write, and share poems. We love words, rhyme (only when used sparely, thank you), observation, and Walt Whitman (obviously). Poetry is an illogical measuring device, filled with seemingly impossible comparisons and instructions; that is why we are called to write it. We are the liars who tell the truth. If this sounds like you, or if you’ve already taken a class with Jane LeCroy and want more, Snobby Poetry is the workshop for you.
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*This workshop is made possible through a partnership with Ava’s Smile, in honor of Ava Hecht’s legacy of creativity and compassion.*

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