ANTHOLOGIES
Girls Write Now Unmuted: The 2021 Anthology
Girls Write Now is thrilled to be in partnership again this year with Dutton, who produced this anthology. A special thanks to the team at Dutton—Christine Ball,Maya Ziv, and Lexy Cassola, and to Feminist Press and Jamia Wilson, who produced the ebook. Thank you as well to Amazon Literary Partnership for their continued support, which directly funds the production of our anthologies.
In the 2021 Girls Write Now Anthology, our mentees give voice to fear and silence, demand justice, and hold nothing back. To be unmuted right now requires a new brand of bravery, and these writers show how it’s done. Using stories, poems, essays, fiction, drama, interviews and more, they report on a global pandemic, a climate crisis and the movement for racial equality. They also invite us on their personal journeys through the labyrinth of young adulthood: feeling the rich soil of a neighborhood garden beneath their fingers; traveling through time in search of their parents; inhaling the charged air where young love is brewing. In a world pushed to the precipice of change, in a society that values the tried and true over the dynamic and new, the Girls Write Now class of 2021 is breaking the chains and showing what it means to speak loud, clear and true—to be unmuted.
Foreword by
Introduction 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.
Girls Write Now Unmuted Print Anthology
Stories from Inside "Unmuted" Coming Soon!
Stories from Inside "Unmuted" Coming Soon!
a woman is lost
a woman is lost By Amanda Musmacher
Diet Woes: Will Polar Bears Make It?
No other animal seems more threatened by climate change than polar bears. Will these icons of the Arctic be able to adapt their diets to survive in their rapidly transforming environment?
The Cat Supermarket
A cute and funny short film where there is a supermarket for cats when they are shaped like different types of foods! Don't worry though, they aren’t actually for eating—just for decoration!
Art Project
This story was inspired by Maurizio Cattelan’s banana-taped-to-the-wall art piece at Art Basel Miami.
Swedish Meatballs
Swedish Meatballs By Alba Suarez & Zoe Weiner Follow our protagonist—a college student newly arrived in Sweden for a study
Floating
Floating is a piece about how my perceptions of strength changed throughout my life, and how I’ve found my own strength through “floating.”
Not Up 2 Code (We’re Baaaack!)
“Not Up 2 Code” is a podcast about the struggle of public school students, created by students. Most of the podcasts that are similar to this one are from the perspective of teachers, but I've realized that they exclude student voices. I wanted to start the podcast after I was outed at school. It was violent and unwanted, and to make matters worse, the person who orchestrated the event never faced repercussions The podcast is run by two women of color, both part of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s meant to expose the disparity in New York City's education system.
citrus youth
citrus youth is a blog filled with present tense moments of a friend group, as well as memories from one of those friends. this idea came from my own friends and how funny i think we are, but also the question of how i will decide to remember us now when i’m older. this represents my best work because i think it comes at a time where many individuals my age are questioning what’s going to happen. a big part of our stability is our friends, and i think it’s going to be nice for us to remember these moments.
The Places I Call Home
I put together this collection of photos as a tribute to the places that are part of my life and feel like home. For me, home is both places and emotions. That is why I included photos of the physical places and descriptions of my memories there. Since moving from Peru to the US two years ago, I've been reflecting on my sense of identity and what home means to me. I know that many people who immigrate feel this way. This piece sends the message that it's okay if you feel like you come from more than one place or have more than one home.
Creative Place of Mind
Creative Place of Mind is a unique entry point into my personal perspective on life—how I think, observe, and feel—amplified into many different versions of writing. It can connect with anyone who has these turbulent emotions and can’t seem to find anything that expresses what they are feeling.
Praise for Here & Now
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.