Meet Julianna Lee Marino, 826NYC’s After School Programs Coordinator. A warm addition to the team, Julianna brings her versatile education experience to our programs and young authors! When she’s not snuggling with her bodega cat, you can find Julianna creating an engaging curriculum, performing aerial arts, or perfecting her mind-reading superpowers!

Q: What piqued your interest in 826NYC and joining the team?

A: The idea of equipping students to “write their own paths forward” really spoke to me as an educator and creative. So much of the joy of writing and creating can get lost in the sauce of formal education- not to mention being totally inaccessible to many students. From our very first meeting, it was clear that 826NYC staffers love what they do, and I was so excited to join the team.

Q: Are there any goals in your new role that you’d like to accomplish? 

A: I’d like to gather a holistic understanding of how the whole organization works and grows together.

Q: As you know, the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. (a whimsical and magical storefront for 826NYC) has a bevy of superpowers and capes for superheroes and sidekicks abound. What superpowers do you bring to the 826NYC team? 

A: Mind reading! (I wish). The superpower that I bring to the team would be information organization. Lists, charts, spreadsheets, diagrams, you name it, I got it!

Q: When you’re not creating an engaging curriculum for our students, how do you like to spend your time? Are there any hobbies that inspire creativity?

A: I like to spend my time cuddling my very talkative former bodega cat (aptly named Yenta) and dancing and performing aerial arts (when not in a pandemic). Last year I also picked up cold process soap making and had greatly enjoyed marrying the precision of formulating with artistic and color-filled whimsy. I love finding new ways to explore making- whether it’s through movement or soap swirls!

Q: Are there any memorable moments from the last months of the school year that you would like to share?

A: Last spring, I spent the better part of an hour discussing the merits of algebra with an eighth-grader. She unsurprisingly had a strong anti-algebra stance, but this also led to some really rich discussion of the purposes and applications of learning. It made me reflect on the hows and whys of curriculum formation and on the skills she wanted to build in the future. Young people have powerful and critical thought- and it’s on us as educators to truly listen, learn, and nurture them as they grow.

Q: How can people stay connected with you in the digital space? 

A: You can reach me at julianna@826nyc.org or on LinkedIn!