Dear Friend, 

All eyes are on Kenya this month. A landmark, nine-month Narrative 4 and Creative Visions project just wrapped in Nairobi, making waves across major news outlets and proving that young people are the ultimate catalysts for change.

To cap off this incredible journey, acclaimed author and N4 founding member Ishmael Beah joined the final showcase, witnessing firsthand the unstoppable power of youth leadership, voice and raw creativity. 

Keep reading to learn about a peacebuilding project in Massachusetts, an exciting update from our Chicago team and new publications from N4 founding artists Terry Tempest and Andrew Sean Greer.

Stories that bridge divides: 800 Kenyan youth lead the way

📍 Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya

Last week, students from 40 schools in Kenya came together to celebrate the end of a nine-month Unique & United program.

Hundreds of young people gathered at Ufungamano House, Nairobi and Khadija Comprehensive School, Mombasa to showcase storytelling and creative projects exploring identity and community. This program, designed to foster social cohesion and tolerance through creative expression, has equipped 800 secondary school students in Kenya with skills to lead with compassion in their communities. 

Supported by Creative Visions and Students Rebuild, the project was featured on KTN and TV47 Kenya's evening news, as well as in national outlets including People Daily Kenya and TUKO.

Check out the KTN interview with Buchi Onyegbule, N4's Director of Africa Operations, and Ishmael Beah below.

The final event was a joyful celebration of cross-community connection, featuring large-scale interschool Story Exchanges, creative performances, student presentations and a powerful keynote speech from human rights activist, N4 founding member and internationally bestselling author Ishmael Beah.

As part of the program, students read Ishmael’s critically acclaimed A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier and developed artistic projects based on the book’s themes. During the conclusion event in Nairobi, young people had the chance to share some of these artworks and performances with Ishmael. Click the link below to learn more!

Peacebuilding in Massachusetts: College and High School Students Connect

📍 Massachusetts, United States

Recently, students in the peacebuilding class at Claremont Academy High School, Worcester Public Schools, Massachusetts partnered with university students from the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts. Seventy-two student participants had the opportunity to put the peacebuilding concepts they explored in the classroom into practice.  This project proved that peace is not just the absence of conflict but the active presence of compassion.

Narrative 4 Wins Public Schools Award

📍 Chicago, United States

Narrative 4 has been awarded the 2025-2026 Certificate of Excellence Award by Communities in Schools of Chicago. The recognition honors exemplary community and school partners that consistently exceed expectations, going above and beyond to provide vital resources and support services for public school students.

N4's US Advising & Training Associate Christina Pearce accepted the award on behalf of the organization. It's an honor to support the educators and young people working to create more compassionate classrooms in Chicago, the United States and around the world.

Congratulations to Andrew Sean Greer and Terry Tempest Williams on their new releases! Andrew and Terry are two of Narrative 4's founding artists—you can catch them both on tour from June 2026 as they celebrate the publication of their new books.

Andrew tours the United States and the United Kingdom this summer with his highly anticipated new novel, Villa Coco.  Check out dates here.

Terry will bring The Glorians, her recently published work of narrative nonfiction exploring our interconnectedness with the natural world, to cities across the United States and Canada this June. When you read it, look for a special reference to Narrative 4!  Further details here.

Help Us Reach More Youth:

Consider making a gift to Narrative 4 in support of our mission!