In light of recent events, we can no longer say justice is blind. Justice, like the rest of our government, is biased and bought. Lady Justice has opened her eyes and we should, too.
Justice is Blind Swayed
Our America: We Grieve, and Then We Mobilize
“My heart breaks for any young person out there who’s wondering what their future holds—and what kinds of chances will be open to them…” — Michelle Obama
The Supreme Court’s recent rulings on Equity and Diversity loom large across the Girls Write Now community. The Dobbs decision last year stripped women of bodily autonomy. This year brings the Affirmative Action reversal, the reneging on Student Forgiveness Loans, and another strike against Marriage Equality. The list tragically goes on.
25 years ago, we created Girls Write Now to mentor and amplify disempowered and systemically under-represented voices. The Court's devastating rulings are a grim reminder of the barriers we face in our fight for equity—but also the power of our stories to shape culture, impact industries, and inspire change. We grieve…and then we mobilize.
Read: The stories in the collection below reflect how Girls Write Now community members are embracing the personal as well as the political—and creating the foundations for meaningful activism with their writing.
Share: Girls Write Now invites you to share your reactions, words of encouragement, and calls to action—and learn from others around the country and the world.
Act: Access more resources here.
Pledge of Allegiance (Revised)
Pledge of Allegiance: Revised” is a subversion of the American Dream through the lens of mental wellbeing; “gifted” is a gilded promise unraveled by statistics and a vow to embrace the strength of vulnerability.
The Lifelong Gift
People leave a mark in our lives that will forever stay with us; this essay is a love letter to everyone that has influenced me and put me on the path I am now traveling.
Broken Masterpiece
A poetic piece revolving around the misconstrued perceptions of what it truly means to be an African American living in modern day society.
Patriarchal Pledge
I wrote this to show the patriarchal practices of saying the Pledge of Allegiance and what it truly means to stand for the flag, from the perspective of an American and an immigrant.
Changing Our Voting System For The Future Vote
The hybrid of the plurality and majority rule created the electoral system in America. The limited authenticity votes can be regained with a scoring system.
In Search of An America Boy
This piece is about patriarchal ideals within my culture and the way they have affected the women in my family.
American Mothers
‘American Mothers’ is a graphic novel that explores the duality of our identities as hyphenated Americans through the stories of our mothers.
Protesting For Change
How have protests and movements evolved and stayed the same over decades? We discuss our experiences at a women’s march and climate strike and how generations are connected in fighting for social justice.
America and Its Glory
This piece is about America and how it’s affected my family and others. It may come off strong, but don’t panic, it’s just my thoughts. Thank you.
My Mother’s Allegiance
My Mother’s Allegiance focuses on the essential factors that encouraged my mother to flee to America, and the assimilation and racism often present in the experiences of an immigrant.
Translating
I have experienced translation as a fundamental phenomenon in my communication. I feel colonization living in my words.
Cracks in the Country
Amanda Gorman’s poem at the 2021 Inauguration inspired me to write my own piece about America’s values and ideals.
Erasures of ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ & ‘Lift Every Voice’
These pieces are erasures of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the national black anthem. My mentor gave me prompts to erase both of them, side by side, after noticing the differences between them.
Armed Allegiance
My erasure poem “Armed Allegiance” represents the immigrant experience. I moved from Mexico to America when I was young, and I know how hard it is to adapt to a new place. The Naturalization Oath is important to me because it reflects the sacrifices my parents made to give me more opportunities in life. I know many undocumented immigrants dream of becoming U.S. citizens and see it as the ultimate achievement. I also wanted this poem to convey how important it is for me to make my parents proud and show them that their hard work was worth it.