ANTHOLOGIES
Rise Speak Change: The 2017 Girls Write Now Anthology
At the QWERTY Digital Media Exhibition, our mentees showcased projects that are changing the way we tell narratives. A video overlaid with powerful poetry, thoughtful podcasts, and interactive games created with Twine — our mentees used the skills they learned in our digital workshops to create these multi-platform masterpieces.
Our mentees are defining the digital age by bringing the craft of writing into the 21st century. In our Digital Media Mentoring Program, we boost girls’ tech savvy and creative potential through digital media. In bringing our curriculum and writing approach into the digital age, we prepare the girls we serve to truly be the next generation of writers—on whatever platform they choose. Students are paired one-to-one with a digital media professional and together they transform their writing into digital art. All workshops are facilitated by graduate students at Parsons The New School for Design. Our workshops feature writing and digital skill-building exercises, prompts, and share-outs to diversify participants’ modes of self-expression. At the end of a program year, girls are equipped to tell a story in GIFs, a poem in HTML, and take their words to the next level.Together we embark on a journey of creative workshops, public readings and showcases, opportunities for publication, and more, all to give girls the tools to advance their writing through different mediums.
Introduction by
Foreword by
Moderated by
Read What's Inside
Browse our collection of stories from inside the book. Complete with notes from the author and anecdotes from our mentees and mentors.
Rise Speak Change: The Girls Write Now Anthology 2017
Stories from Inside "Rise Speak Change" Coming Soon!
Stories from Inside "Rise Speak Change" Coming Soon!
A Love Letter to My Apartment on 69th Avenue
This piece is a reflection of childhood nostalgia; I dive into living in my old apartment and attempt to savor its beauty. Though I struggle with growing pains, I eventually lean towards acceptance.
Vogels/Girls
An ode to southern Germany and my cousin, Marlene.
Everlasting Color
This piece was written to shed light on creatives. Artists often perceive the world in a unique way that many people don't understand, so I wanted to do my best to describe that.
Mr. Cupid Taught Me There is More to Life
In 2023, I had an apprenticeship program at Second Chance Outreach in Capetown, Mr. Cupido’s drug rehabilitation NGO. Every day, I learned about the lives of others and the true meaning of a second chance.
Train Ride to Danger Station
An uncomfortable experience among girls and women is sexual harassment, something that I encountered on the train that left me furious.
Self-Defining a Strong Black Woman
In this essay, I discuss my personal journey with the Strong Black Woman schema and how basing my self-worth on
My Tears Have Traveled
A reflection of my tears throughout my life.
the shame of sons
An excerpt of a short story surrounding a boy with his father's hand-me-down anger.
The Sea Beneath Caroline Street and True Love Comes From
My home will one day be underwater and it will be as if it never existed to anyone else. Where does true love really come from?
The Dying Friend
This piece is simple, yet I hope it can still be striking to whoever reads it. I have been thinking about writing this poem for a very long time.
Praise for Rise Speak Change
From the Literary Community
Intersectional Voices in Editorial Print Committee
Every year, the Intersectional Voices in Editorial (IV Edit) Print Committee brings their talents to the task of editing, producing, and promoting this fresh collection of writing from today’s emerging voices. The committee is made up of mentors, mentees, and other volunteers who are passionate about diversifying the publishing landscape.