I Am Writing This Out of Kindness and Sadness

Three fifth-grade classes at PS 316, the Elijah G. Stroud school in Crown Heights, contributed to this epistolary anthology which charts a bold course toward a more perfect world. Students grapple with issues of violence, politics, migration, public health, aesthetics, identity, education, nutrition, and fashion. Their eclectic opinions are rooted in argumentative tactics and their appeals to power are clear. The beauty of the letters lies in the students’ conviction. As Nijhae W. puts it, “Even if you agree or disagree with me, I still think I have a point and I agree with myself even if you don’t. I rest my case.”