Introducing Alum 360
Calling all alum—mentors, mentees, board, staff, interns, volunteers & more! Enjoy the immense opportunities, powerful networks, and diverse talent of our multi-generational community—while offering your unique resources to the next generation of voices.
A Vote for Girls Write Now is a Win for the Next Generation.
Invest in the young women and gender-expansive leaders driving the change we all need.
Support the Writers & Leaders Making Change
Dreams are universal; opportunity is not—especially during a crisis. With your donations, we can help young writers create opportunity for themselves and their communities for generations to come.
Create in Community
Working on a novel? A screenplay? A documentary podcast? Join us at this week’s upcoming events to write with multimedia teaching artists and meet other writer and media makers who come together for the love of craft.
At Girls Write Now, we break down the barriers of gender, race, age and poverty to mentor the next generation of writers and leaders. Together, our community channels the power of our voices and stories to shape culture, impact industries and inspire change.
Stories from Girls Write Now + Channel Kindness
Perfect Bad Grades
In which a smart girl battles her self-restraints and discovers her passion.
Layers of Art & Me
Family expectations. Fear. Uncertainty. Some of the many negative thoughts that flow in a…
Tangles and Knots: My Life as a Highly Sensitive Person
“Are you okay?” The Hispanic woman wearing a disposable medical apron asks me as…
A moment of honesty;
Five short monologues that unpack the intimate questions that reveal bits of yourself, but…
Where Love Grows
A glimpse of how my best friend and grandfather molded me into the woman…
Walking on a Shortened Path of Time
The love that you have given me shall not perish even if time separates…
I am the Lure to you Lore
Earth is often referred to as Mother Earth. I wanted to explore this idea: how "Mother" Earth would sound speaking to humankind about the atrocities…
Speaking on Brushing Up on Your Comedy (Literally)
In this episode, you’ll hear Mentor Tracy Morin, a magazine writer and editor, talk with Mentee Ava Fung, a high schooler from New York City,…
Speaking on Being ‘Virus Overachievers’
In the very first episode of “Speaking In First Draft,” host Kathryn Destin interviews Mentor Martina Clark about the first draft of her memoir and…
Dear You
Dear You By Julia Mercado Dear You, You are the one who never washed your hair, wore the same sweater every day and smiled wide…
See It When You Believe It
In this piece, I explore how a change in our mindset can influence our experience of reality.
Let’s Create Together
We are a diverse, multi-generational, passionate community of writers, creatives, leaders, artists and activists who all share a love of stories. Our programs are interwoven with wellness- and activist-minded curricula and offer endless opportunities for friendship, networking and professional development support.
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 6 – 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm ET
Activists or Storytellers – Mic Check!
We need stories to heal, to express our truths, and to enact change – but how does the need for activism in our stories impact our creativity? Gen Z writers have been told that their words are going to save the rest of us, and many of them are rising to that challenge, but they're…
April 12 – 4:45 pm – 5:45 pm ET
College & Career Chat
In Career Chats, mentees gain exposure to various industries by networking with employees—Girls Write Now “mentors for the day”—across publishing, media, beauty, finance, and more. Professionals share their journeys, advice for breaking into their industry, and how they are charting a course for a successful career. Learn about positions you never knew existed, and get…
April 14 – 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm ET
What’s Love Got to Do With it? Mindfulness, Compassion and You
For this last PD session of the program year, we offer you a wellness practice. Join Mindfulness Coach Oneika Mays for a nourishing conversation about mindfulness and Metta (loving kindness). Oneika will discuss the history of mindfulness and offer a practice that allows participants to love themselves just as they are. Leave feeling refreshed and…
April 15 – 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET
Eye-Catching Cover Design & Layout
At our final Publishing 360 workshop of the program year, we'll create and discuss the visuals that will make up our zine. Join us for an interactive opportunity to engage your graphic design skills and get visually creative!
Create Write Now with Women & Gender-expansive Teaching Artists
Memorialize the Important People in Your Life in Writing with Gigi Coleman
Learn how to honor and celebrate the important figures in your own life with Gigi Coleman.
Pen Personal Narratives with Qian Julie Wang
Join Qian Julie Wang, the New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Country, as she leads us through the process…
Create a Graphic Novel with Kate Gavino
Learn from graphic novelist Kate Gavino how to build on your own passions and experiences to create a graphic novel…
Write Nonfiction with Michelle Duster
Uncover history through the tales of those near and dear to you with Michelle Duster, author of Ida B. the…
Write Magical Realism with Alexandra Méndez
Explore belonging through magical realism with Alexandra Méndez, author of What The Jaguar Told Her.
Practice Writing Conflict & Tension with Natalie Baszile
Learn how to find and accentuate conflict and tension with Natalie Baszile, author of Queen Sugar.
Learn to Write Micro Narratives with Darien Hsu Gee
Find a new way into your story in this micro narrative writing workshop with Darien Hsu Gee.
Write the Intimate & the Invented with Daphne Palasi Andreades
Learn how to write fiction using your lived experiences with Daphne Palasi Andreades.
Become an Expert in the Art of Interviewing with Abby West and Rebecca Carroll
Learn how to break down simple conversations into dazzling narrative stories with Amistad’s Abby West and Podcast Host Rebecca Carroll.
Rewrite Your Past into Poetry with Christina Olivares
Make new meaning from what matters most to you with writing prompts designed to dig up the details.
Dive Into Historical Fiction with Emily Neuberger
Use your memories to write Historical Fiction with Emily Neuberger, mentor and author of new novel A Tender Thing.
Develop Your Fictional Identity with Brit Bennett
Indulge your fictional half with the New York Times bestselling author Brit Bennett.
Build a Powerful Podcast with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Dive into podcasting with the renowned therapist behind Therapy For Black Girls.
Deep Dive Into Character Study with Megan Giddings
Experiment with voice and character dimension with the author of Lakewood.
Write Poetry that Shatters Expectations with Mahogany L. Browne
Break down the prescriptive norms of being “girl.”
Pen Lyrics for Lonely Hearts with Anna J Witiuk
You don’t need to be a musician to write great lyrics. Turn heartbreak into art in this songwriting Salon.
Craft A Poetry Collection with Jasmine Mans
Freewrite to uncover a thematic thread for your collection with inspiration from Jasmine’s experience growing up in Newark, NJ.
Find Your Narratorial Voice with Olivia Abtahi
Learn how to make your writing sound as authentic as possible!
Get Super Personal to Write Comedy with Nikki Palumbo
Learn to turn your most embarrassing experiences into comedy gold.
Explore What Home Means to You with Sepideh Moafi
Discover what home and belonging mean to you with actor, singer, writer, and producer Sepideh Moafi.
Enter the World of YA Fiction with Amy Zhang
Write young adult fiction with author Amy Zhang, who published her first novel at age 18.
Love [Poetry] Galore: Write Hip-Hop–Inspired Love Poems with Sam Arriozola
Learn about the history of Hip-Hop and write love poems with writer, poet, and youth worker Sam Arriozola.
Start a Novel with Keisha Bush
Learn how to start small to write a novel with Keisha Bush, author of No Heaven for Good Boys.
Go All In in Memoir with Maria Konnikova
Learn to write high-stakes memoir scenes with Maria Konnikova, New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and professional poker player.
Write as a Form of Resistance with Dominique Morisseau
Learn how to use art as protest with TONY nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau.
JOIN THE CIRCLE
The Girls Write Now Circle is a select group of multigenerational leaders committed to amplifying diverse voices. Circle benefits start at the $500 level.
BECOME A PARTNER
Together, let’s mentor the next generation to be creative, communicative and competitive candidates shaping the future of your company and industry.
spread the love
Get empowered to ask for money to support a cause you care about. Spread the word about a mission you believe in. Access our Advocacy Kit.
IN THE WORDS OF OUR COMMUNITY
“Girls Write Now has given me the unique experience of being at the cross-section of so many types of art—something I hope to carry with me as I continue to create.”
ANAÍS FERNÁNDEZ
MENTEE
“Girls Write Now gives us a community and a wealth of opportunities to figure out what we can make of our passion.”
TIFFANI REN
MENTEE ALUM & CURRENT MENTOR
“You are giving underprivileged girls and gender-nonconforming kids the tools and connections that other people get in their starter pack for life. That’s what equity means. That’s what activism is.”
KAT JAGAI
MENTEE ALUM & CURRENT MENTOR
“My years at Girls Write Now were some of the best parts of my high school experience. I learned that there are other people who are just like me who felt lost in the world and were able to find themselves in their writing.”
MAXX CARR
MENTEE ALUM
“I am super grateful to (still!) be in community with the many friends, mentors, and supporters that I met through Girls Write Now. Without them, I never would have pursued my dream to become a writer.”
ROMAISSAA BENZIZOUNE
MENTEE ALUM & TEACHING ARTIST
“Most young people in my neighborhood do not have the same opportunities that I am lucky to have received, but what we do share are the difficult experiences of living in East New York / Brownsville. When I won the Posse Scholarship, I felt like their voices and dreams were also being honored.”
KAYLA MORGAN
CLASS OF 2022 MENTEE & POSSE SCHOLAR