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Life@GWN introduces the storykeepers of Girls Write Now—our diverse and multi-talented community members living their lives and embodying our mission.
Life@GWN
Life@GWN
They think I can be a dang SUPERHERO?… Hollie Harper’s Life@GWN
Charlie Chaplin said “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” Hollie Harper’s days are never wasted. For the last
“My daughter makes me think I am a superhero–that I can do anything”… Nneka & Christine Obiamalu’s Life@ GWN
Girls Write Now Community Manager Christine Obiamalu, our newest staff member, may be the “baby” of the Girls Write Now
“I would hope that I make people feel like they could go for their dreams…” Jocelynn Landon’s Life@GWN
A Profile by Fayonna Jean-Philippe | Spring 2026 GWN Cycle In the 2026 Spring Cycle of the Girls Write Now
“My dad taught me how to be curious…” Bruce Morrow & Tenzin Gund-Morrow’s Life@GWN
Fathers are some of our first teachers, and the best students learn by asking questions. For GWN board member Bruce Morrow's son, Tenzin Gund-Morrow, his dad gave every early curiosity somewhere to go—from ballet classes at the age of three to isolating strawberry DNA at science camp, Bruce encouraged his son's interests, and delighted in where they led.
“Writing is taking the reins of my life into my own hands”…Davia Schendel and Carolyn Zheng’s Life@GWN
“Writing is taking the reins of my life into my own hands”…Davia Schendel and Carolyn Zheng’s Life@GWN
Seek Joy in Everything You Do… Alex Ewing & Elizabeth Stone’s Life@ GWN
Mentee Alex Ewing and her mentor Elizabeth Stone may come from opposite ends of the country and have a 50-year age gap, but when they meet up over coffee, a good book, or an in-depth Twilight presentation, they’re thick as thieves. Neither knew what to expect when they joined Girls Write Now for the Summer 2025 cycle, but both wanted community and collaboration to shape their creative practices. In their second cycle together in the Collaboratory, they’ve only grown closer, each gaining new insights, perspectives, and hope for their future together and in their own creative practices. Read on to learn more about how this pair struck their balance.
“Anything you do, let it come from you. Then it will be new. Give us more to see…” Irene Cho and Alexis Grusby’s Life@GWN
In their second cycle together, this peer-to-peer pair bridges seven years and certainly feels more like mentor to mentee. Considerable distance lies between the two as geographic opposites, with one on each coast of the United States, East and West.
“All You Have to Do is Not Give Up, Okay?” Winnie Holzman’s Life@ Part II
In the second part of our candid conversation with WICKED’s co-writer Winnie Holzman, she opens up about how she copes with fear and defines success—through authenticity, laughter, honest critique, and the power of persistence.
“We’re Not in Kansas Anymore…” Winnie Holzman’s Life@GWN
“We’re Not in Kansas Anymore…” Winnie Holzman’s Life@GWN To Winnie Holzman, co-writer of WICKED, writing is all about what happens
Part of storytelling is making sense of chaos…Dana A. Williams’ Life@ GWN
Dana A. Williams is not just a scholar; she’s a storyteller. Her CV boasts accolades from the Dean of Howard University Graduate School to this year’s Girls Write Now Honoree because she knows that the best way to get to the truth is to tell a story. And she learned from the best. With Toni Morrison as a personal and professional mentor, Dana built a deep understanding of storytelling as sense-making, self-making, and collective building. The best lessons are not taught, but learned, and in Toni at Random: The Iconic Writer's Legendary Editorship, Dana documents how Toni Morrison built community, identity, and legacy for Black literature
