It was just announced that Girls Write Now’s Founder and Executive Director Maya Nussbaum was selected by the White House as a Champion of Change for her work and leadership. As part of the Champions of Change program, the White House is recognizing individuals who are developing and supporting high-quality afterschool and extracurricular programs that create opportunities for girls from marginalized communities so that all young people can reach their full potential.
Maya will be honored at The White House on Friday, September 30th for making positive changes in the community along with nine other individuals across the country. Previously, Girls Write Now has been distinguished twice by the White House and the President’s committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
“I founded Girls Write Now when I was not much older than the teenage girls we serve,” Maya says. “The organization mentors underserved young women find their voices through the power of writing and community. I am honored to be receiving this award and dedicate it to the mentors and mentees who inspire me every day.”
Joining Maya is longtime Girls Write Now mentor Josleen Wilson who has been in the program for 10 years, and Josleen’s mentees Brittany Barker and Tuhfa Begum, award-winning writers. Says Josleen, “In my mind, Girls Write Now is much more than a mentoring organization for underserved girls. The bond between mentors and mentees is powerful because we are all writers, all equals.”
The event will be live streamed on the White House website at www.whitehouse.gov/live on Friday, September 30, at 11:30 AM ET. Follow the conversation at #WHChamps. For additional updates visit www.girlswritenow.org.
Read more about Girls Write Now’s Trip to the White House.