Meet the Writers marks 11 years of author visits across Bronx schools

Michelle Weissman, executive director of Meet the Writers Incorporated, told BronxNet’s Open that the literacy program will return to Highbridge Green School in March and will continue expanding author visits across Bronx schools.

"We've reached 60,000 students so far," Weissman said, summarizing the program's reach since its founding. She said Meet the Writers began 11 years ago in the Highbridge section of the Bronx and has since grown into a school network serving elementary through high school students.

The program pairs visiting authors with classrooms and organizes events tailored to students' language needs, Weissman said. She described a recent bilingual model in which author Angie Cruz appeared alongside translator Kiana Antigua so Spanish‑speaking students could hear the author in Spanish while other students attended the English session. "We did simultaneous sessions," Weissman said, "Kids could choose."

Weissman said the organization works with roughly 14 schools this year and arranges about 45 author visits over the school year. She highlighted a partnership with the Lab School for Finance and Technology, where students pick an annual Student's Choice Award; this year’s choice is Angela Chante, who is scheduled to visit and meet students in March.

The organization also runs a summer reading follow‑up: students receive a book in June, read it over the summer and meet the author in September to keep reading momentum, Weissman said. She cited an example in which author Nikki Grimes returned to visit a school where a former student showed the book she had received years earlier, illustrating enduring engagement.

Weissman encouraged additional schools, authors and funders to join the program and provided the organization’s website, Meetthewriters.org, for contact and more information. "Always looking—authors, schools, of course, funders, and supporters," she said.

The segment closed with Weissman thanking the host and previewing more Open programming. The program did not include formal votes or policy decisions; Weissman framed the discussion as program description, outreach and future event planning.