Fall 2024 – Spring 2025
Lead Community Change
Lead Community Change is a dynamic two-cycle journey that harnesses the transformative power of storytelling to drive social impact. Mentees in this initiative will unleash their creativity to develop innovative projects that make a meaningful difference in their local communities, all while being supported by Girls Write Now’s rich storytelling resources. This journey is designed for aspiring young leaders and activists who are eager to create and implement impactful community-based social activism projects. With a personalized approach, we tailor our support to meet the unique needs of each initiative, empowering participants to bring their visions to life and inspire change in their communities.
Journey Lead By
Learning Objectives
Apply Here
Deadline: January 15, 2025
As a participant in the Lead Community Change Journey, you’ll have access to two courses—one in the fall and one in the spring—to support the development of your community-based social activism project. You’ll be paired for two full cycles and will meet with your mentee/mentor for at least two pair sessions each month. Additionally, you’ll attend one journey meeting per month, one community studio (preferably focused on leadership), and any announced journey-related workshops.
- Cycle(s) Fall 2024 – Spring 2025
- Time 4 hours per month
- Areas of Focus Activism, Civics, Environmentalism, Advocacy
- Available Spots Per Cycle 20
Lead Community Change Courses
The Lead Community Change offers two courses designed to support you in developing your community-based social activism project plan.
Lead: Developing a Social Activism Community Project
This course guides you through the process of planning and executing a community-focused social activism project. You’ll learn how to identify community needs, set project goals, and develop an actionable plan.
Lead: Media Implementation & Resources
This course offers practical strategies for integrating media into your social activism efforts. You’ll gain hands-on knowledge of how to effectively use various media platforms and resources to enhance your advocacy, engage your audience, and amplify your message.
Lead Community Change Mentoring
Mentees and mentors in the Lead Community Change Journey will be paired for a minimum of two cycles. Each pair will meet for at least two hour-long sessions per month. Mentees will develop community-based social activism projects, while mentors will provide support and guidance throughout the process. This journey is open to both mentor/mentee pairs and peer-to-peer pairs.
Lead Community Change Community Experiences
Mentees and mentors in the Lead Community Change Journey are required to attend monthly meetings, held on Saturdays from 3:00 to 5:00 PM ET. Additionally, they attend one community studio per month, preferably a leadership-focused community studio.
Lead Community Change Orientation :
October: Wednesday, 10/9/2024, 7 pm
Lead Community Change live virtual meeting dates for Fall and Spring:
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- November: Saturday, 11/16, 3 pm ET
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- December: Saturday, 12/14, 3 pm ET
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- January: Saturday, 1/18, 3 pm ET
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- March: Saturday, 3/15, 3 pm ET
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- April: Saturday, 4/19, 3 pm ET
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- May: Saturday, 5/17, 3 pm ET
Lead 360 Adventure
Lead Community Change is a Journey in the Lead 360 Adventure.
All journeys within this Adventure emphasize leadership, aiming to help mentees and mentors develop their leadership skills and work together to create a better future. Explore the other Adventures offered at Girls Write Now below to learn more.
Find Your Journey
Find Your Journey
Teach GWN (Fall 2025)
In this Journey, Members of the GWN community will develop curriculum and facilitate a community studio for one or more cycles within GWN’s Collaboratory structure. Each cycle involves facilitating three community studios, one per month. Participants will gain valuable skills in leadership, teaching, and community building. Mentees and Mentors can facilitate a community studio either solo (if they are 18 or older) or together as a pair.
The Power of Punchlines: Stand-Up Comedy for Change (Fall 2025-Spring 2026)
In this two-Cycle Journey, participants will explore the power of comedy as a tool for social change, with a special focus on stand-up comedy. From climate change and economic inequality to LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and mental health, you’ll learn how to write and perform material that blends humor with meaningful social critique. Comedy is a form of intelligence—whether you’re new to comedy or a seasoned performer, this journey will help you use humor as a force for social impact.
The Lead Incubator (Fall 2025-Spring 2025)
The Lead Incubator is a crucial extension of the Lead Community Change Journey, offering Mentees the space, resources, and support needed to implement their project plans and drive meaningful change in their communities. It acts as a dynamic platform where they can turn their ideas into action. Mentees participating in the Lead Incubator focus on advancing their community-based social activism projects with the support of their mentors and Girls Write Now’s resources.
Explore Tour (Fall 2025)
Explore the creative and storytelling pathways Girls Write Now offers through a multimedia, multi-genre experience with mini courses, exploratory studios, and one-on-one pair sessions. Build new skills and deepen existing ones across fiction, journalism, publishing, and formats like video, podcasting, and visual storytelling. Ideal for mentees working across media or focused on specific projects, this Journey offers the flexibility to tailor your learning experience to your goals.
The Power of Punchlines: Stand-Up Comedy for Change (Summer 2026)
In this Journey, participants will explore the power of comedy as a tool for social change, with a special focus on stand-up comedy. From climate change and economic inequality to LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and mental health, you’ll learn how to write and perform material that blends humor with meaningful social critique. Through workshops and performance coaching, you’ll develop your own comedic voice. Discover how satire and personal storytelling can raise awareness, inspire dialogue, and challenge the status quo— all while keeping your audience laughing. By the end of the Journey, you’ll have developed a 5 -10-minute stand-up routine that not only entertains but sparks meaningful conversations about the world around us. Comedy is a form of intelligence, whether you’re new to comedy or a seasoned performer, this Journey will help you use humor as a force for social impact.
Explore Tour (Summer 2026)
Explore all of the creative and storytelling pathways Girls Write Now has to offer through a multimedia, multi-genre experience that includes mini courses, exploratory studios, and one-on-one pair sessions. Discover new skills and build on existing ones with offerings that range from fiction to journalism to publishing, and dive into formats like video, podcasting, visual storytelling, and more. Ideal for mentees who enjoy working across multiple genres and media or are focused on specific projects, this Journey offers the flexibility to tailor your learning experience to your individual needs.
Life Lines: Crafting Memoir and Nonfiction (Summer 2026)
This Journey invites you to explore personal truth through nonfiction and memoir writing. You’ll learn to shape real experiences into compelling narratives that resonate with readers. Through reflection, drafting, and feedback, you’ll develop your authentic voice and storytelling skills to share your unique story with confidence.
Visual Voices: Video Storytelling (Summer 2026)
Explore the art of storytelling through video by learning how to craft compelling narratives using visuals, sound, and editing techniques. This Journey offers hands-on experience with video production from concept to final cut, empowering you to share your unique stories on screen. Gain skills in filming, scripting, and post-production while expressing your creative vision through multimedia.
Nature Narratives: Zine Production (Summer 2026)
Dive into the world of zine-making with a focus on nature and the environment. This Journey guides you through crafting personal and creative expressions about the natural world using multimedia, writing, and visual art. Celebrate your unique perspective while learning to produce and share your own impactful zine.
Writing for TV: From Script to Screen (Summer 2026)
The Writing for TV Journey is designed to help develop the skills and understanding needed to work as a writer in today’s TV industry. This Journey provides insight into the work of a scriptwriter – a deep understanding of TV storytelling and professional scripts, drama vs comedy scripts, professional working practices, and employment strategies. Specific topics range from story structure and formatting scripts to actually seeing a script to fruition.
