The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXXI

Preface
by Elizabeth Evans D’Ascensao
In an ever complex world, today we are given a rare and precious opportunity
to learn from the children in our communities– to know firsthand their
feelings, their experiences, their challenges, and their hopes. What an
incredible gift. That gift is born of the work, effort, and attention of so many:
families who foster courage at home, teachers who provide the tools and safety
for expressing that courage in the classroom, and our readers who honor the
courage of so many children by spending time with and trusting their words.
After passing so much of the last two years in isolation and fear, we recognize
the power of community and hope more than ever. We were meant to live,
learn, and grow in community. This collection of essays on courage can be
considered a community unto itself– one that spans the globe, from Boston
to Barcelona, and Michigan to Mongolia. These incredible children and their
stories represent the profound courage of their classrooms and schools, and
remind us that courage and adversity are universal, and that working together
to heal our communities, for all the many ways they are hurting, is critical.
We are up against so much, and yet, we hope. We take courage from the
hopeful voices of children, knowing that even the seemingly insurmountable
challenges of our time can be addressed in small, careful steps, and with the
support of our local and global communities. In writing about her family’s
experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, Helen Chen shared, “The world
shuts down because the virus is overtaking us. However, there is hope. The
hope is that we can survive this pandemic with faith in each other, care for one
another, love for our community–that we are all in this together.” Alongside
Helen’s story are countless other stories of hope – in the face of mental health
challenges, gender identity, racism, family challenges, bullying, and fear.
Hope takes courage. Asking for help takes courage. Trusting others takes
courage. Caring for your community takes courage.
Thank you for being part of our courageous and hopeful community.
Elizabeth Evans D’Ascensao is a Board Member and former Executive Director for The Max
Warburg Courage Curriculum. She currently works as a content creator and consultant.
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