Girls Write Now
I.V. DEIB Committee
Intersectional Voices in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Committee Purpose
The I.V. DEIB Committee is committed to sustaining an equitable, inclusive environment across the Girls Write Now Community, ensuring that all voices are valued and heard. This committee, housed in GWN’s Enrollment & Engagement Team, integrates the principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging into all aspects of Girls Write Now’s operations and programming, to establish, review, and make recommendations on plans and policies that support underrepresented groups within the community.
Benefits:
- Contribute to organizational decision-making related to DEIB strategy, programming, and policy
- Creatively challenge the status quo in media and our world, from program development to editorial approach to marketing, philanthropy, and beyond
- Collaborate with a diverse, intergenerational network of mentees, mentors, and community members
- Be recognized as key changemakers within the Girls Write Now community
- Develop a deeper understanding of equity-driven work within the nonprofit sector
Activities:
- Discuss topics and issues that impact our community and programming with fellow community members and subject matter experts
- Provide feedback and recommendations to the GWN Enrollment & Engagement Team on key issues and policies that impact our community and organization (i.e., organizational values, communications protocol, organizational style guide)
- Cultivate DEIB-related resources for our mentees and mentors
- Support the GWN Enrollment and Engagement team in the interview process for prospective mentees and mentors
Eligibility:
The I.V. DEIB Committee is developed and led by Creative Director for Marketing and Communications Chelle Carter-Wilson with support from Girls Write Now’s Special Projects Coordinator, Kathryn Destin. Mentors, mentees, and members are welcome to join the Committee and I.V. DEIB meetings.
We will continue to:
- Determine roles and tasks for the committee
- Establish a regular meeting schedule
- Work on creating and reviewing program curriculum
- Develop mentor training workshops
- Implement new educational strategies
- And more
We look forward to collaborting and strengthening our commitment to DEIB at GWN!
Staff Leads & Facilitators:
Staff Lead
Chelle Carter-Wilson
Girls Write Now Creative Director of Marketing
Storytelling is in Chelle’s DNA. Chelle (Rochelle)’s imagination is the lens through which she experiences the world. Like many children, life obtruded upon her dreams, and bit by bit, she forgot them. Her stories never forgot her. In the wake of a career as an HR executive, she evolved into perhaps the world’s most reluctant stay-at-home mom. She raised two children, trained a beloved boxer puppy, and in quiet moments, listened to the muse. She returned to writing and hasn’t stopped. A linguaphile and lover of the oxford comma, anything, in the form of a story can engage, inform, and delight. A grateful steward of Girls Write Now’s emerging creatives, she commits to never let any writer ignore a siren’s call.
Staff Lead
Kathryn Destin
Girls Write Now Special Projects Coordinator
Kathryn is a nonprofit researcher and writer and also was the 2022-23 Editor-In-Residence for Girls Write Now. An only child from Harlem, NYC, Kathryn looks for community in many spaces centered on her interests such as cooking, comedy, Blackness, queerness and investigative journalism. She is a Girls Write Now mentee and is fascinated by film, media and writing as avenues for social advocacy and activism. As a young creative, she is excited to utilize various mediums to speak against injustice and share stories from marginalized voices.
Meetings:
- Starting in 2026, I.V. DEIB will meet once per cycle and on an as-needed basis. Meeting dates will be announced.
Next Steps:
- Complete the Interest Form below.
- RSVP for next meeting.
- Want to nominate someone to join the committee? Contact us!
Click here for the I.V. DEIB Interest Form
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Committee: Interest Form