Make the World Feel a Little More Hopeful…Ayah Al-Masyabi’s Life@GWN

Meet Ayah Al-Masyabi, a Girls Write Now mentee since 2021 whose journey through creativity and self-discovery has been deeply shaped by the power of mentorship, community, and resilience. Guided by her mentor Anne Hellman, Ayah has grown not only as a writer but as a young person navigating the complexities of life and identity. When she joined the GWN team as an intern, she faced a wave of imposter syndrome—but with support from Anne and the GWN community, she found confidence and purpose in contributing to the organization that helped shape her.

Ayah describes her current mood as Oxford Blue—reflective, calm, and layered with gratitude. Her soul, she says, carries a mix of deep appreciation for her loved ones and a quiet yearning to transform her inner world into something meaningful through her writing. One of Ayah’s proudest moments was delivering her high school graduation speech — a powerful culmination of years spent pushing through academic and personal challenges. Now, she is pursuing one of her biggest dreams: writing a book that blends memoir, personal essays, and an exploration of mental illness. It’s a project that merges her childhood ambition with her ongoing desire to understand herself and the world more deeply.

She draws strength and hope from people—from the ways others choose to live, to show up, and to keep going. Whether inspired by her family, her mentor, or writers like John Green, Zadie Smith, and David Sedaris, Ayah is committed to telling honest, emotionally resonant stories. She hopes to leave behind a legacynot one of grandeur, but a quiet one of gentle impact. Through her words, her work, and her presence, she aims to make the world feel a little more seen, a little more hopeful. Because, like the Girls Write Now 2025 Anthology, she believes deeply, hope lives in our words.

Girls Write Now 2025 Anthology: Hope Lives in Our Words

Tell us about your Life@GWN

I have been a mentee since 2021, an experience I couldn’t be more grateful for. My mentor, Anne Hellman, has been there with me through the many highs and lows, always guiding me through the creative process but also the human process. To have her in my life is such a blessing. She was especially helpful when I became an intern at GWN, since at the beginning I had a sudden case of imposter syndrome. Now, getting to learn day to day the way GWN works from the inside, and being able to contribute means a lot as someone who has benefited greatly from them. I love being able to grow with such amazing people along the way.

What’s your mood right now—but describe it using only a color??

Oxford Blue

Let’s say time travel existed, but you could only go back for an hour to see one specific event. What would it be and what motivated your choice?

I would go back to fill myself up with hope. The first thing that comes to my mind is a soccer game any Liverpool FC supporter would go back to: Liverpool vs Barcelona 4-0 in 2019. To inform those who might not know, we were defeated 3-0 Barcelona before this game in the series to proceed to the final. Meaning, we would need to do the unbelievable and score four goals to continue. That second half was just pure magic, when Liverpool scored three goals to continue to the final, which they also won. To experience the emotion in that stadium that day would be life defining.

The 2025 Anthology is entitled “Hope Lives in Our Words.” The world feels precarious right now. When you feel overwhelmed by everything, what makes you feel hopeful?

People. Being able to interact with people in my wider community gives me such joy and hope for the future. Seeing how people decide to continue living gives me a model to follow.

Philosophers describe soul hunger as a deep, spiritual longing/craving for something meaningful. Can you describe how your soul is feeling?

My soul is feeling immense gratitude for the people in my life and my situation. Alongside that is a kind of grief and unhelpful melancholy I am trying to understand. This amalgamation creates a yearning to create something of it and within it.

Describe a time you felt most proud of yourself.

Standing up and delivering my speech at my high school graduation is one of my proudest moments. I struggled a lot during school, whether it be from learning disabilities or my physical, and mental health. Seeing myself complete this very tough chapter of my life was gratifying. It really reminded me that it is always more about the journey than the destination.

What is the biggest/craziest dream you’ve achieved or are currently pursuing?

I am working on a book which is part memoir, collection of essays, and personal investigation into mental illness. This is a concoction of a childhood dream to publish a book and a yearning to compile my attempts to understand the world I live in. This is very close to my heart and I am excited to continue working on it!

Is there one thing that instantly makes your day better?

As cliche as it might sound, a John Mulaney joke will always give me a smile.

In a few lines, what’s the best book you’ve read recently? Why?

A book I always come back to is John Green’s The Anthroprecene Reviewed, since I first read it in 2021. It is an incredibly insightful collection of essays written in the form of reviews of the Anthroprecene. I learn something new about the word and myself every time I revisit one of his essays.

Who inspires you?

There are many people who inspire me—I could go on all day! I couldn’t mention anyone else before acknowledging how much my parents and siblings inspire me. From just getting out of bed to the many exciting things I get to do —  they are a constant source of support and encouragement. My mentor Anne is an amazing woman and writer. Her work ethic and caring nature never stop motivating me to be the best version of myself. It would be unfair not to speak of the many amazing writers I find myself reading for inspiration; like John Green, David Sedaris, Zadie Smith, and more!

Who/What was it, and why did it impact you that way?

There is this scene in one of my favorite movies, “Lars and the Real Girl,” where Lars is in the doctor’s office speaking about a sensitive subject to him. As a viewer with intense anxiety, I could feel the steady rise in discomfort—an overwhelming sensation. Seconds later, there is this powerful scene of him experiencing a panic attack. It was astonishing how well it was acted. It felt visceral and so, so real. I felt seen. It is a moment I think about a lot because it has such emotional levity and honesty. In a way, I want my writing to be as moving and honest.

Have you ever enjoyed something you didn’t think you were good at?

I would say I am not “good” at most of the fun things people do. A prime example would be both video games and board games, both of which I love to do, but I have very mediocre skills at. I love to say that I am the best at being third place, after being placed third place three times in a row.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind?

Legacy is a strong word! All I hope is that there are little pieces of me— in the form of the work I do, the people I speak to, and words I share—that continue to positively affect the world when I am eventually gone.

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

When I was at a celebration event and chatting with a stranger, she asked me what I do. I told her I was a student journalist. She responded, “You dress like one.”