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  • The Lead Incubator (Fall 2025-Spring 2025)

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

The Lead Incubator

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.

This Journey is only open to participants in the Fall 2025 Lead Incubator Journey.

You may express your interest for this Journey in Fall 2026 by filling out the form below.

You may also sign up for Mentorship on Demand and/or membership at any time.

 

Pre-Enroll in Fall 2026 Get Involved Now

Learning Objectives

Advance Social Activism Project Goals

Develop and implement strategies to advance community-based social activism projects with the support of Girls Write Now’s resources.

Apply Storytelling and Media Techniques

Use storytelling methods and media strategies, including producing a Lead Podcast episode, to effectively convey your project’s message and engage your community.

Exercise Leadership and Facilitate Engagement

Take on leadership roles, manage project initiatives, and facilitate a community studio to foster collaboration and support for your cause.

Execute and Manage Community Projects

Implement and oversee your community project, applying organizational skills and leadership to drive progress and address community needs.

Evaluate Impact and Enhance Skills

Assess the effectiveness and outcomes of your project, evaluate its impact on the community, and strengthen your leadership skills through practical experience and mentorship.

The Lead Incubator Community Experiences

Mentees and mentors in this Journey are required to attend the monthly one-hour Journey meetings listed below.

Fall Cycle:

  • Saturday, November 15, 2025, 3 pm ET
  • Saturday, December 13, 2025, 3 pm ET
  • Saturday, January 10, 2026, 3 pm ET

Spring Cycle:

  • Saturday, March 14, 2026, 3 pm ET
  • Saturday, April 18, 2026, 3 pm ET
  • Saturday, May 16, 2026, 3 pm ET

If you’re unable to attend a Journey meeting, you must notify your Staff Lead in advance and attend a community event to make up for it—strongly recommended options include Leadership Community Studios, Community Conversations, and Career Chats.

Apply to Journeys Explore Community Experiences
Journey Circle: Community

The Lead Incubator Courses

Lead: Maintaining a Social Activism Project
This course focuses on providing participants with strategies and tools to effectively sustain and manage their community-based social activism initiatives. It covers topics such as project planning, resource management, and strategies for long-term impact and growth.

Podcasting Fundamentals
An introductory course that covers the essential skills and tools needed to create and launch a podcast. Participants will learn about podcast planning, recording techniques, and editing, providing them with a solid foundation in podcasting.

Teach GWN: Facilitating Community Studios
This course provides training in the techniques and best practices for leading and managing community studio sessions. It focuses on creating engaging and productive environments that support learning and collaboration among participants.

Apply to Journeys Explore Courses
Writing

The Lead Incubator Mentoring

Mentees and mentors in The Lead Incubator Journey will be matched for two cycles. Each pair will meet two times per month and, as a pair, attend all of the community events listed above.

Apply to Journeys Explore Mentorship Opportunities

Journey Teaching Artist

Jessica Jagtiani

Girls Write Now Staff

Jesse Jagtiani  is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and researcher of Indian-German heritage residing in New York City. Jesse earned her Doctor of Education in Art & Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, complemented by an MFA in Studio Art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, and a degree in Visual Communications from the University of Arts, Berlin. Her research centers on the formative dimensions of intuition, bridging indigenous wisdom with contemporary scientific perspectives to foster a balance of the intuitive and the rational mind within Western educational paradigms. Jesse’s artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and her scholarly contributions extend to various publications, including chapter three of the book Developing Informed Intuition for Decision Making. Jesse has taught in (and outside of) higher education for numerous years and is passionate about supporting emerging artists, writers, and leaders on their creative, academic, and career pathways.

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Jessica Jagtiani

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.

The Lead Incubator is a Journey in the Lead 360 Adventure.

See All Adventures

Explore All Journeys

Explore All Journeys

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Girls Write Now Girls Write Now .

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.

Explore Tour, photos of two girls smiling, GWN logo
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Stories of Becoming: Crafting Young Adult Romance (Summer 2026)

This Journey invites participants to dive into the world of young adult romance, exploring the joys, challenges, and complexities of love in adolescence and young adulthood. Through creative writing exercises, character development, and plot crafting, mentees will learn how to create authentic, relatable stories that resonate with YA readers. Participants will explore themes of identity, friendship, and emotional growth while honing their craft in storytelling that captures the heart and imagination.

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Teach GWN (Summer 2026)

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.

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Fresh Mouth: Confidence Through Comedy (Summer 2026)

This Journey transforms your unique observations and "wild and wacky" thoughts into a structured comedy set. Through bi-weekly Journey Meetings and personalized coaching, you will explore the mechanics of humor, moving from a raw premise to a polished delivery. You will learn to find the funny in the everyday while building the stage presence and confidence necessary to share your voice. The experience concludes in a live showcase alongside peers and professional comedians, where you will debut your original material and celebrate the power of humor as a tool for connection and self-expression.

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Girls Write Now Girls Write Now .

College Ready: Drafting Your Narrative (Summer 2026)

This Journey offers a streamlined path to college readiness through interactive workshops, mentoring, and peer exchange. You will move from drafting a compelling personal statement to building a strategic school list and navigating financial planning, all while receiving personalized feedback on your work. By the end of the program, you’ve gained the skills to create a polished application and the insider knowledge needed to present your most authentic self to admissions committees.

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Zine Makers: Crafting A Peer Poetry Zine (Summer 2026)

This Journey invites you to step into the role of editor and designer to transform poetry from the spring Poetry Rising Journey into a compelling, collaborative zine. You will move through the specialized stages of the publishing world, beginning with a deep editorial dive to refine existing verses inspired by heritage and created by your peers. As you master visual composition and multimedia design, you will learn to pair these powerful voices with a cohesive aesthetic, ultimately gaining the technical skills and creative vision needed to produce and share a high-impact, independent publication.

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