Celebrate Those Who Prevail Despite the Odds this National Underdog Day
“Just because a challenge is extraordinarily difficult doesn’t mean it can’t be overcome”. Words to live by this National Underdog Day from Girls Write Now Mentee Kayla Morgan.
Today, we celebrate those who rise up despite the odds stacked against them, like the girls and gender expansive young people of Girls Write Now—90% BIPOC, 75% immigrant or first-generation, and 25% LGBTQIA+— who break down the barriers of race, gender, and poverty, determined to make their voices heard in a world that often overlooks them.
Kayla, like many mentees at Girls Write Now, is up for the challenge. In her life as a writer, poet, and finance professional, she has stepped up to the plate time and time again to make home runs out of every curveball life throws her way. Since starting at Girls Write Now during the pandemic, Kayla has been named a New York Youth Poet Laureate Finalist, Scholastic Arts & Writing Award winner, NYC Youth Poetry Slam Finalist, Ned Vizzini Writing Finalist, and a Southern Poverty Law Center Community Poem Winner. All the while, she’s pursued a career in finance, and after landing her first position with Girls Write Now partner, RBC Capital Markets, Kayla looks forward to joining Goldman Sachs in investment banking in summer 2025.
Says Kayla, “Girls Write Now taught me the importance of my words, identity, and the space I occupy. It gave me the confidence to engage in male-dominated fields, take on leadership positions on campus, and believe in my potential for success. The encouragement and care that the Girls Write Now team gives to mentees is unparalleled. From being paired with a skilled writer, to being embraced by my peers, Girls Write Now has consistently been a pillar in my life, from high school to college—and now for life.”
Kayla is a testament to all that you can achieve when you let your curiosity lead the way and back it with a fierce dedication to actualizing your creativity. Your donation today is a powerful vote of confidence in the leaders of tomorrow. Thank you for standing with us and rooting for the underdog
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Journeys
Each Journey is a expertly curated package of mentorship, community experiences, and writing-based courses. Here’s what participants have to say about their Journeys:
“Through Girls Write Now, I was able to meet and connect with my mentor, Sam… She’s guided me through writing, the college admissions process, life, and everything else that I couldn’t have imagined this year without her. Through the program’s Poetry Journey, I’ve also been able to connect with so many writers my age and meet with so many published professionals…I’m truly grateful for the program and for everything it has done! Thank you so, so much!”
– Premrudee, Mentee
“Joining my Career Journey turned into another moment for me to grow. I learned how to collaborate and looked for ways to fully step into a more mature, self-assured person…I swear I feel like crying just trying to express my gratitude.”
– Dolores Haze, Editorial Intern and Class of 2023 Alum
Mentorship
Journeys in the Girls Write Now Collaboratory allow participants to connect one-to-one across generations and establish a supportive relationship that lasts a lifetime.
“My most rewarding experience was meeting my mentor Ellen. She’s been super encouraging and helpful during a year that’s been filled with a lot of change and uncertainty.”
– Karina Itzel, Mentee Alum
“Girls Write Now inspired me to think of myself as more than someone who writes, but as a writer. My years as a mentee gave me the foundation to be the author I’m proud to be today “
– Joy L. Smith, Author and Mentee Alum
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Mentors and mentees in Journeys access community experiences featuring expert teaching artists, guest speakers, and facilitators dedicated to enhancing writing and media skills, expanding personal and professional development, and fostering collaborative creation.
Writing Courses
As a mentor or mentee enrolled in a Journey, you have access to a wide range of educational experiences that all use a 360 degree approach.