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.
Taking Our Place in History: The Girls Write Now 2020 Anthology
Stories from Inside "Taking Our Place in History" Coming Soon!
Stories from Inside "Taking Our Place in History" Coming Soon!
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
Follow me on an emotionally exciting journey through one of my favorite cartoons.
Picture Perfect: Influencers
Likes, followers, ratios, filters. On "Picture Perfect," we take a look at different #contentculture topics to explore how social media affects adolescents' self-esteem and self-worth and talk about what we all can do to be perfectly imperfect because no one is flawless.
A Multigenerational Woman
This piece came from something in my life. I didn’t have an ending though. What I observed were random glimpses of probably normal behavior. The plot (the hardest) eventually came, inspired from the anthology title.
interludes
This piece is inspired by my love for dance and my team. It is a reflection on the moments from dance I find myself thinking about and the reasons for my passion for it.
Because This is My First Life
This is a piece about being a seventeen-year-old. An ode to myself reflecting on the experiences of my teenage years while acknowledging some of my personal heroes.
With Rounded Edges
“With Rounded Edges” is a piece made to encapture the childlike, nostalgic feeling of the most simplistic version of love. This excerpt is the end of the story, leaving an open-ended finish that encourages the reader to continue the story of Paige and Amara on their own.
A Traditional Wife
This story was inspired by a Girls Write Now workshop where we spoke about outdated taboos. The inspiration for my piece was the complicated yet consistent dynamic between my two Caribbean grandparents.
Wrapped In Red
In my poem, I explore themes of self identity and purpose through the eyes of the mythological character of Persephone. “Wrapped In Red” goes through Persephone’s memories of a simple decision that altered her future.
An Ode To Who We Will Be
This is written for my mother, who built independence in me.
A Planted Scar
I dedicate this poem to my mom, Ana Vazquez. She sacrificed so much to help me become the woman I am. Even when we aren’t together, I know she’s giving me strength.
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.