“Irene has taught me to look at life from a more beautiful angle. We recently worked on a narrative essay together where she compared her life to a game of Omok. I had never heard of Omok, and I got to learn all about it from her and her writing. She opens me up to new ideas and comparisons I wouldn’t have thought of on my own. I thought her essay was a beautiful metaphor, and I want to think about life the way she does.”

“Alexis has helped me become more reflective and insightful not only in writing but in the way I go about life. During our writing process of my narrative story about the Korean board game Omok, especially in our brainstorming stages, Alexis guided me in directions that I had not taken before, asking me questions that required me to sit down and reflect on what I truly thought. It’s made me embrace as a writer and a student a more vulnerable side of myself that I do not often explore!”

“I’m here because when I was younger…wiser writers who I really looked up to encouraged me, and their encouragement changed my world. They helped me to take myself more seriously. And the only way I can ever repay them and honor their memory is to be a source of that encouragement to other writers.”

“Girls Write Now is a testament to the impact of investing in people like me, and a space where I can channel both my professional and creative interests.”

“My mentor, a talented journalist and podcast producer, helped me recognize the power of sharing my story and the importance of having a safe space to tell it.”