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.
Stories from Inside "Rise Speak Change" Coming Soon!
Stories from Inside "Rise Speak Change" Coming Soon!
Mr. Rochester Is Punished
This is an alternate ending to Jane Eyre, in which Bertha, the Caribbean outsider and “madwoman” who was forced to marry Mr. Rochester, is humanized, and Jane’s strength is found in resisting Mr. Rochester, not returning to him.
Moments
I love photography because I think it's beautiful how one second can be caught in one picture. It's one of the few ways where time can be still. This collage shows many seconds of my ironic life on different occasions.
Looking for Mercy, Stuck in a Nightmare
These poems explore the injustices of the criminal justice system in America. Too many people have been targeted. Too many people have been wronged.
Rise Up
Poetry is an art that explains feelings in a different way. It's a type of dialect. When you can't really say something straight out but you have to get it out, or when you just feeling some type of way and just want to speak out—you can rant, encourage, argue, let out frustrations, and more.
To The Ones With Skin As Dark And Beautiful As Night
"To The Ones With Skin As Dark And Beautiful As Night" comes from a time when I didn't feel so confident. Lupita Nyong'o is a huge part of me realizing that I am beautiful as she took her place in history, and I soon took my own place in history.
The Brief But Passionate Life of Green Tea and Cherry
I originally planned to create snippets of various Valentine's Day scenarios. I think I gravitated towards that idea because that day for me was pretty dull. On a random walk, I decided to make my animation more cartoony and less serious. I made my characters personified food instead of people. By the way, green tea is my favorite flavor of ice cream, and I hate cherry-flavored everything.
Erasure Poetry of ‘The Danger of a Single Story’
This digital media piece is about what it means to be a woman in today's society. This piece is also about my take on erasure poetry with a mix of feminism. I emphasize the words by highlighting them instead of spotlighting the words by redacting others.
In the Books
"In the Books" is a short clip about trying to find myself and who I want to be. This video is worth watching for those who do not know who they want to be and want some type of inspiration. This is coming from a girl who does not know what she wants to do in her career path, but at least knows where she wants to start. This work made me feel vulnerable and can help others understand that there are other women to look up to.
Sculpt-apocalypse
This stop-motion animation is about two members, Goob and Cy, from a rebel group called the Uglies who seek to overthrow the oppressive Aluminium Regime, who hate and deem clay impure and routinely have "cleansings" to get rid of any remnants of clay throughout the land of Scupltipica. After one of these cleansings, Goob and Cy find one sole survivor.
Revolutionizing My History
What would you do if you found ancient eyeglasses on your commute to work or school? What if those ancient eyeglasses showed you your history and how you became who you are? Through this project, I am revolutionizing my history from my ancestors, who were probably activists and storytellers; to my parents, who had to struggle growing up; now to me and how I formed my identity in school, family, and society. This project represents who I am and how I am taking my place in history, including yours.
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.