YCteen Magazine

STORY OF THE WEEK

CURRENT ISSUE

Saying 'I Love You' in Spanglish
As I learned English, my parents and I grew apart

As Natalie learns more English, the gap between her and her Spanish-speaking parents widens. She finds ways to both honor them and stay connected to them.

My parents are from Mexico and when I was little, Spanish was the only language we spoke at home. Before bedtime my mom would read me Spanish picture books. In my favorite story, the main character was a cow who loved pears... [more]

I Define Me
I'm a Fierce Feminist - See Me, Not My Disability - Broadening Black Identity - PLUS: Three Teen Activists Speak Out - ESSAY CONTEST: Win $150
[more stories]

FEATURED STORIES

Growing Up Without My Father Natalie struggles with the death of her father. In exploring her grief, she finds that her father lives on in her memory. [more] [LESSON PLAN]	How to Make the SHSAT Fair Yasmine weighs the pros and cons of the Standardized High School Admissions Test, the controversial exam that solely determines admission to New York City's best high schools. [more]
How I Learned to Understand My Mom Jessica’s mom is strict and she resents it. But when her mother tells Jessica about her life in the poor countryside of China, she sees her, “for the first time as a human being, daughter, sister, and wife.” [more]	From Artist to Art Teacher Volunteering as an art teacher in an after school program helped Anaiss discover her calling. [more]
Why I Only Wrote Stories About White People “When I tried creating black characters, it felt forced. I worried about creating racist clichés,” writes Savannah. [more]	Opening Up About My Anxiety Natalie struggles to control her anxiety and depression, but it isn’t until she seeks help from teachers, parents, and friends, that she’s able to access the resources she needs to feel better. [more] [LESSON PLAN]
I’m White, Latina, and Proud to Be Both: I Don’t Have to Choose Gabby writes about her journey from feeling "ashamed of the dark body hair that I associated with being Latina and non-white," to being proud of her Ecuadorian identity. [more]	Not Holding It All in Anymore The writer is abandoned by her mother in China, and must learn to accept her new life in the U.S. "It’s like I’m a towel that’s wet and heavy with depression, and writing and therapy are the two hands that twist and wring the water out," she writes. [more]
Working in My Parents’ Chinese Restaurant When Jessica begins taking shifts at her parents’ Chinese restaurant, she feels shame and resentment but she eventually appreciates the value of persistence and hard work that the job teachers her. [more] [LESSON PLAN]	My Family Is Afraid of I.C.E. The writer feels negative attitudes toward immigrants has dramatically worsened since Trump was elected president. [more]

STORE SUBSCRIBE LESSON PLANS FROM THE AUTHOR LINKS WE LIKE ABOUT US FAQs CONTACT US