2025 was a year of transformation for the Octavia Project. In our 11th year, we grew our leadership structure by transitioning to a Co-Director model, launched our inaugural Youth Advisory Board, and strategically grew our audiences.

We’ve achieved so much this year, and we couldn’t do it without the support of community members like you! Whether you participated in or taught one of our programs, volunteered your time or made a donation, or attended one of our many partner programs, you have helped us build a warm and welcoming community where we can collectively learn and dream. This feels more critical now than ever.

While our communities have been facing additional challenges, we must also celebrate the joint work it takes to rise above. Here are some of those moments:

  • Transitioning to a co-directorship, increasing our capacity to meet growing community needs. Together, we have been strategizing and planning new supports for current program participants and alumni that we can’t wait to share.
     
  • Completing our 11th summer of free programming for young women and trans and nonbinary youth, culminating in our Summer Showcase celebration at the Center for Art, Research and Alliances. It was wonderful seeing participants from both of our summer programs share their amazing works with our broader community. 
     
  • Leveraging partnerships to increase our year-round offerings, including the Constellations Mentorship, where four young writers are hard at work developing their stories alongside professional authors. We’re so excited to experience their pieces! 
     
  • Launching our inaugural Youth Advisory Board, made up of 12 OP alums from across 10 years of programming! We left our first meeting inspired by their commitment to support younger participants, like their past selves, and fellow alumni. 

We hope that your holiday season is filled with reflection, celebration, and community. Together, we can ensure that the future we want to see—one that is equitable and where we can all thrive—is possible. 

We can’t wait to share more about how we’re showing up in the new year soon!