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!
you through my eyes
This podcast is an adventure in interpersonal relationships. I asked my mother to share three songs she associated with herself. Meanwhile, I compiled my own three-song playlist of tunes that I associated with her. The intent behind this piece was to demonstrate how women perceive themselves versus how other women perceive them. It’s a reminder that there’s strength within each of us that we ourselves cannot always see.
The Secret of Cooking
My mentor and I were in Grand Central Station when it hit me that I should share my culinary journey and the reasons I enjoy cooking. I shared my idea with Caroline and she loved it. We decided to start with a script, then use Anchor to record. After countless edits, my script was ready to be recorded. I thought the recording and editing would be easy, but it wasn't. I had to record and edit multiple times before I got the content I wanted. When I checked the box "record podcast" on my agenda, I felt accomplished and ready to take on the world.
What to do!
My piece is about fitting in during high school. It was inspired by my observation of some people changing over time to be something they are not. Teenagers today are constantly risking everything and changing who they are just to fit in with a group they see as superior to the rest. This represents my best work in the program this year because I made a crucial topic humorous and entertaining. Yes, I made it funny, but it is still very much something that happens a lot and can sometimes lead teenagers into a lot of trouble.
One Less World
This poem is for my friend who betrayed me. She told me she had seen her friends betray her and talk shit behind her back, but that doesn’t mean she had to do the same to me.
Begin at the Beginning
I decided to focus on bringing awareness to mental health, which is a topic that means a lot to me. I want to bring voice to those who have felt silenced. My work is titled “Begin at the Beginning” because sometimes that is what we have to do. It was also the title of a favorite childhood book of mine.
Embrace It
When creating this piece, I wanted to embrace a little piece of cultural diversity in the U.S., but also show that historically, diversity hasn't been welcome here. The piece is a reminder that just because we get along better now, there are still societal problems that aren't solved.
Girls on Film
Something that has always plagued me about female characters is whether they offer an accurate representation of women or are just “[women] written by socially awkward men who'd like to believe that [these] kind of [women] exist and might kiss them” (Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn). This idea is something I tried to explore in my multimedia presentation.
Freedom
There are many ways to experience this stunning short film. Close your eyes and listen to Rachel read her poem. Really try to soak up the meaning in the words. Or you can mute the sound and look at the amazing shots by Lauren.
How to be Asian-American
This is a video inspired by an excerpt from my memoir piece. I wanted to create it for the same reason anyone wants to be a writer—to tell a story. More specifically, I want to tell my story. But as the video blossoms into something magical, I realized that in telling my story, I am also telling the stories of many Asian-Americans. This is how to be Asian-American.
pink
“pink” is a poem rooted in social commentary. In this poem, I examine my own internalized misogyny, and how it influenced my actions as I was growing up. The history of “gendered” colors is a fascinatingly peculiar one, as blue was once considered tame and feminine, while the “blood-resembling” pink was gallant and masculine.
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.