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!
Flowers for Georgia
My dad and I love art history, and we wanted to bring to light stories of women who have carved and sculpted their place in history! There are so many inspiring women today, but also many women who may be in the shadows of history— and who should be kept alive. This work was a challenge given that I had never worked on a piece through a media platform before. The piece is a product of my learning process and the new mode of storytelling I tried, and the writing I always do!
Popped
Pop culture is all around us—in the movie trailers we watch, the celebrities we follow, in the books we read, and more. But pop culture often intersects with the larger structures of our lives, like politics or ethics, and these intersections bring up interesting questions about how we consume media. This podcast is a look at these intersections and how to answer these questions in an age in which the personal is the political. In each episode, I'll explore a recent pop culture trend and then analyze it through a larger framework with background research.
Bloom
In June of my sophomore year, I participated in my school’s talent show, doing modern dance and flow arts. Both were challenging: Modern required flexibility and movements my awkward limbs were unaccustomed to, and flow required dexterity of my wrists to simultaneously twirl strings, staffs, glowsticks, and fans in contrasting patterns.
The Perfect American
The Perfect American tells the stories of immigrants detained by ICE. Every episode is centered around a different detainee. Each with a different story, a different perspective, and a different relationship with America. In this country, where not everyone qualifies as American, these people deserve a chance to be heard. A chance to prove themselves, to show who they are outside of what the media spews about them. These are the Perfect Americans, the people who strive to be a part of a nation that doesn't want them.
Tawhito Scene
This is a scene from my novel, where the prophet Tawhito is giving advice to Anna and Ela. I think it's a really important scene in my book because it's a big turning point where Anna and Ela decide to kill the Queen, which sets off an important chain of events.
The Ones Who Taught Me to Dream
My mom and dad are my best support system. They have made a lot of sacrifices so that my sisters and I can have a better future. I love them so much, and I am forever grateful to them. To give them a tribute, I made this piece.
Code for Blueberry Toaster Waffles
Code for Blueberry Toaster Waffles is a short illustrated spoken-word poem that speaks to themes of creativity, friendship, and isolation. It is accompanied by drawings based on the themes presented within the text.
Fragments: The Need for Attention
My stop-motion poem is inviting, and it gives good advice on how to live your life: try to be more open and express how you feel to others, so that you are not bottling up your problems and keeping them to yourself. The found poem was inspired by words that stood out to me in a few used books, and as I highlighted many words, it became easier to pinpoint the topic of the poem.
All Of My Maybes
The sun rising, the birds chirping, the light morning breeze and the sweet smell of spring in the air—the narrator of my short story looks out at the melancholic scene playing out before her. All she can think about as she watches the sky is how her life could be if she wasn't afraid of adventure. All of us have struggled with venturing out into the unknown. Like the narrator, most of us find ourselves sitting down and contemplating what life could be like. It's fictional, but she's still me. That's why this represents my best work.
My Week in School
This podcast goes into the life of one of many high school students. Each high school student has their own activities, and this just focuses on one student. This represents my best work since it's relatable to most of the other Girls Write Now mentees. We're all high school students and deal with so much during the school year, and sometimes we just need to hear someone else going through a similar thing to feel better about a bad or good day.
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.