The first chapter to a longer work, Shattered is a reimagining of Rapunzel’s story. It follows Marianne’s journey of finding her place in the world and mustering the confidence to push the bounds of her world.
Taking Root: The Girls Write Now 2022 Anthology
Perhaps you’ve seen a mangrove. These saltwater-loving trees grow thickly along the coastlines of South Florida. They edge the shores in heavy clumps; they huddle in meandering rows. The roots will catch your eye first: a rich reddish brown color, they grow out of the brackish water like creeping fingers. As a child, I thought the roots were trying to wrench themselves from the sediment—that the mangrove was a tree desperately seeking other waters.
What I didn’t know then was that the mangrove had adapted to thrive there. Between twice-a-day tides, the stilt-like roots pull oxygen from the air. The sediment that collects beneath the roots builds the shoreline, and a vibrant community of plants and animals live on or below the roots. Even the leaves are gifted. Two holes on each pump out the excess salt; it covers the waxy green leaves like crystals.
The young writers of the Taking Root: The Girls Write Now 2022 Anthology remind me of those red mangroves and their hardy, branching roots. Like the tree, they flourish at the borders, but theirs straddles the prickly border between youth and adulthood. In waters friendly or inhospitable, these writers persevere: always creating, always building, expanding. Through their words they interrogate the world we take for granted, and in their wonderings, propose new Earths to inhabit.
Here’s to those brave, beautiful writers, and the works that will take them near and far. Deeply rooted in who they are, their words are the salt crystals that adorn the leaves.
—MORAYO FALEYIMU
Explore Mentee Stories from 'Taking Root'
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Shattered: Getting Out of the Tower
The Sweet and Sour: Life as a Senior
The Sweet and Sour: Life as a Senior is about the highs and lows, I have faced thus far in my senior year that redefined my outlook of what senior year really is.
Baggage
High school friends have a surprise encounter in an airport, a few years after graduating.
Hills Like White Infirmaries
The story focuses on the point of view of a young girl watching her mother get treated for a cold at a local clinic. After her mother is treated, she is unrecognizable.
Snapchat Eulogy
I was scrolling on social media and my eye caught a rather shocking headline. This poem is about the article I read and how very serious news is made palatable.
My Mind
The mind is our greatest asset, one that is used every moment of our lives. Some, like myself, have found new purpose for our minds, as escapism from reality.
The Birth of the Rose Flower
A poem about two people who are separated due to circumstances that are beyond their control. Do you think they will end up together?
Piggyback
This began as my personal statement for my Common Application, but has transformed over time into a personal essay.
Memory Lane
This piece addresses the duality of memory—how it can be beautiful but also hold us back from embracing the future.
I am my mother’s daughter
An immigrant anthem.
I am just a girl
This is a poem about Monica Lewinsky. I wrote this piece to reshape the narrative. Some parts in style after Eleanor Wikstrom.
Bunk Bed Dreams
Thoughts, consciousness, and imagination. A poem.
liar’s job
A self-reflective, nearly-narcissistic poem about being a writer.
Beginning of a Lifetime
I wrote this while thinking about my experience with Girls Write Now and where my love of writing started.
The Karate Girl
A harrowing experience during a late night commute in New York City teaches a teenage girl more about finding her inner strength.