2016 Girls Write Now Awards

On May 17 at the breathtaking Three Sixty° Tribeca, we honored authors, directors, and storytellers — leaders who write the world. From the view to the points of view, we were in awe as 300 guests came together to raise our glasses, and our voices all in support of the next generation of women writers. Take a look at the speeches and performances from the evening below or watch the Q&A interviews with each of the honorees and emcees.

“…the act of a girl sitting alone with her experiences and thoughts and the courage to record what she knows to be true is revolutionary.”
– JANET MOCK, Girls Write Now Trailblazer Honoree

“Thank you for the work of Girls Write Now, I know soon the young women of your programs will fill my bedside Kindle with their own visions and voices and we will all be better for it.”
– JENNI KONNER, Girls Write Now Groundbreaker Honoree 

 “I am so awed by the mentors, the mentees — the girls, they are so unbelievably talented.”
– CRYSTAL RIX, accepting Girls Write Now Gamechanger Awards on behalf of JOHN OSBORN

“Whether growing up as a girl, a writer, or as an organization — taking the risk to evolve at each new stage — all of these are revolutionary acts of courage and imagination fueled by the power of community — by each of you.
–MAYA NUSSBAUM, Girls Write Now Founder and Executive Director

“If you were to ask any of my friends to describe me, they would most likely say that I’m intimidating. Apparently, that’s what one gets labeled when you’re independent, ambitious, and determined. And, thankfully, because of Girls Write Now, I don’t care. I bet this room is filled with intimidating people!”
– Girls Write Now mentee KIRBY-ESTAR LAGUERRE, who read an excerpt from LENA DUNHAM’s Is It Evil Not to Be Sure? at the Girls Write Now Awards

“I still remember the moment I knew writing was going to change my life for the better. I was sitting alongside my mentor Linda at a Girls Write Now writing workshop. I was so inspired that I told myself, I’m going to write each day.”
–LINDA KLEINBUB and JADA FITZPATRICK, Girls Write Now mentor and mentee, perform