The “Youth on the Frontlines” panel was absolutely packed! So full, in fact, that I ended up sitting with my 12-year-old son upstairs watching the event on a grainy videotape (though the image was poor, the sound was good). The unfortunate conditions (for me anyway) didn’t rob the panel of any of its power.

 

I was sorry to be late but it couldn’t be helped—my 8-year-old daughter had a poetry reading of her own work along with her classmates first thing this morning (delightful!). But that made for a late departure from Brooklyn. I was feeling harried and annoyed when we got to the panel but once we got there, I was...