ANTHOLOGIES
Taking Our Place in History: The Girls Write Now 2020 Anthology
Girls Write Now is thrilled to be in partnership with Dutton, who produced this year’s anthology. A special thanks to the team at Dutton—Christine Ball,Maya Ziv,Marya Pasciuto and Hannah Feeney, and to Feminist Press and Jamia Wilson, who produced the e-book. Thank you as well to Amazon Literary Partnership for their continued support and for recognizing Girls Write Now as a 2020 grant recipient, which directly funds the production of our anthologies.

The Girls Write Now 2020 class of mentees are using their voices for change in one of the most uncertain periods of modern history. This book invites you into their homes and families, their schools and neighborhoods, their hearts, hopes, and fears. Enter a world where clay creatures take on aluminum oppressors. Get thrown against an elevator wall in the midst of a horror story. Go backstage with a rock band, say goodbye to relatives as you start a new life, stand with an engineer solving a coding problem. Stare out from a coffin—or up at whales in the sky—and fall in love with the color of your skin. Experience tragedy in a mosque, feel the wounds of slavery, know the terror of glass shattering in a World War II village, and see how this next generation of leaders look to the past and write their present to create a better future.
Introduction by
With a Poem 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.
Stories from Inside "Taking Our Place in History" Coming Soon!
Stories from Inside "Taking Our Place in History" 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.
Taking Our Places in History
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.