Melak is joining my Writing Workshop at Bishop Maginn High School.

She is 16 years old, a refugee of the Iraq war and the Syrian civil war. She is one of the most gifted and charismatic students at Bishop Maginn and needs help paying the tuition so she can stay at the school. Please consider helping her if you can. You can send tuition contributions to Mike Tolan, Principal, Bishop Maginn High School, 75 Park Avenue, Albany, N.Y., 12202.

Every bit helps.

She needs some help financially, and she deserves some peace in her life.

Melak means “angel” in Arabic, but her teachers say she is quite feisty and independent, the name doesn’t quite fit. Malek is one of the most impressive refugee children I’ve yet met, she is brave and honest and quick to smile, even quicker to learn.

We met today at Bishop Maginn to talk about the writing class.

Melak told me about her story idea, which I love, it’s about a ghost who wants to be nice, but who are treated so cruelly by frightened and bigoted humans that he is forced to turn to the dark side.

Melak says the story is about judging people who are different, something she knows a lot about. Come and listen to this charismatic and articulate  young woman – she spoke no English just a few years ago – talk about her story idea:

Please help  Melak with her tuition if you can, she is deserving and quite special. You can send a tax-deductible tuition donation to Mike Tolan, Principal, Bishop Maginn High School, 75 Park Avenue, Albany, N.Y., 12202.

I’m going to fight for her.