Say hello to Robyn Lingo, 826DC’s sensational new Executive Director!
Robyn is a kind, curious, and thoughtful person who has devoted her career to empowering young people. We’re delighted to have her leading 826DC and can’t wait for you to meet her.
In the meantime, check out this Q&A to get to know Robyn a little better:
- Name: Robyn Lingo
- Title: Executive Director
- Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
- Hometown: Born in DC and grew up in Fairfax, VA
What drew you to 826DC?
I’ve always loved writing. When I first saw the posting for this role, I’d been helping my parents clean out my childhood home as they prepared for a move. In one of our final sessions, my mom found a box of all my old childhood writing: books of poetry I’d bound with colorful cloth-covered cardboard and fantastical stories of dragons, magical forests, and spirited young girls saving the day.
It was such a perfectly-timed reminder about the power of imagination, the importance of providing spaces for young people to create their own worlds through words, and how incredibly influential those early writing experiences have been in my educational and life journey.
Writing has given me the power to communicate, to connect, to inspire, and to dream. I love that 826DC does that for thousands of young people in my hometown every year.
What was your favorite subject in middle school?
Social studies! I’ve always loved learning about people, communities, and how our past informs our future. As a kid, historical fiction was one of my favorite genres of books. As an adult, I’m just as likely to be reading historical nonfiction as a novel.
What is your most memorable experience with writing, as a teacher and/or as a learner?
In my first few days of ninth grade, the assistant principal at our high school got on the loudspeaker and read out the rules that students were supposed to follow. It rubbed me the wrong way. I didn’t like being treated like we all needed to be controlled, scared into being “good.” I wanted to be respected, to be welcomed into high school, and to have the adults assume the best of each of us.
So, I wrote a letter to the editor for the school newspaper and they printed it—even though I was “just” a ninth grader!
I was so proud of using my voice to express my opinion, to be published in the school newspaper, and to have my ideas heard by an audience beyond my family. I was even more proud when our neighbor called my mom to say that even though she disagreed with my argument, she was impressed by my decision to write the letter and by the quality of my writing. That has always stuck with me—the idea that your words and thoughts make an impression on people, even when they disagree with your position.
If you were a magician, what would be your signature magic trick?
Teleporting. As someone who 1) has a bad habit of running late, and 2) doesn’t have as much patience as I should for traffic, teleporting would definitely be the magic trick I’d want to master first!
What helps a small nonprofit stay strong over time?
What a great question! I think first and foremost is being connected to the local community, and creating community in all that you do. For me, being connected to the local community means your work is rooted in the priorities, strengths, needs, and culture of the community you are serving. Creating community in all that you do means that every person involved—every student, parent, teacher, staff, donor, and board member—feels connected to the mission and to each other, as part of one community.
I think 826DC does this really well. I’m so excited to meet each member of our community and to be part of all the ways 826DC brings people together. Quick plug for joining us at our upcoming Story Soiree as a chance to celebrate and enjoy this 826DC community!
What are some of your favorite things about Washington, DC?
This city is home. I love the people, the rich history of local DC, and the ways communities have organized for a more just and equitable city, country, and world. I love the sense of being both a small town where you see the same people each day in your daily routines and a big city full of monuments, museums, art, theaters, parks, and people from all over the globe. I love going for pupusas and Ethiopian food, I love sitting on the front porch of my row house and talking with my neighbors, and I love riding my bike past the hospital where I was born on my way to 826DC’s office.
What does youth empowerment look like to you?
I think young empowerment is actually more about what adults do in a space than it is about young people. Youth empowerment looks like adults making space, listening to what young people have to say, following their lead when appropriate, and providing support when needed. Youth empowerment is ensuring that each young person feels warmly welcomed and connected to a supportive community that gives them space to grow, investigate, challenge, and lead.
What book would you love to re-read for the first time?
For another DC answer, I’ll say The Known World by native Washingtonian Edward Jones. It is just so beautifully written. I remember re-reading individual sentences to just marvel at the prose. People’s individual stories show the cumulative effects of our nation’s history in a full, honest, and complex way.
(I remember feeling similarly about Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing—another book I should re-read!)
What inspired you to get involved in this kind of work, and why do you think it’s so important?
I grew up in a faith community full of adults who took me seriously, who wanted to know what I thought about the world and about each of our roles in making the world a better place, and who made space for me and my peers to be our unique selves. I feel incredibly grateful for those experiences, and I think in many ways it has guided my career.
To me, there is no reason we cannot provide any young person with affirming, supportive, and open spaces for them to grow, to be lovingly challenged to try new things, and to be heard and celebrated for their ideas and contributions.
As I mentioned at the beginning, I’ve always loved writing and seen how much the skill of writing has been critical to my educational and professional life. 826DC is just such a powerful combination of these values and practices—bringing joy, fun, affirmation, and support to learning and making space for each young person’s words and stories to be heard.
If you’d like to help Robyn and the rest of our team support students in this new school year, consider buying a ticket for or donating to our Story Soiree fundraiser! You can also learn more about volunteering here.