Growing up surrounded by women of color, I always felt isolated by the fact that my body was different from those of the beautiful women around me. This poem was my moment of solidarity; my body is no one’s but my own and I don’t need anyone else’s approval.
Class of 2017
She’s a 7.8
![Sarah Kearns](https://gwn-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/10111128/SK.png)
They were silent. I felt strong.
By Grace, through love
![Grace Han](https://gwn-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/10090347/GH.png)
You are the outer Grace; I am the inner.
When Life Gives You Half a Lemon
It’s gotta be that a little bit of my actions and a little bit of fate’s help just worked in my favor. And that’s what terrifies me.
Angry
You label me angry because of my nappy hair and oppressed because I choose to cover it…
Day One
![Ana Prieto](https://gwn-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/10093706/ap.png)
Katerina was alone, but it hadn’t always been like this.
Cliche Teen Crisis
Excuse me?” She looks up from her phone, a deer in headlights. “I think you dropped this…”
Better
![Havi Pham](https://gwn-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/10094831/hp.png)
You deserve so much better than your fears.
Girls
My mother is soft like dandelions and freshly washed sheets.
En Su Espejo
![Luna Rojas](https://gwn-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/10122441/SITE-Placeholders-PromoAuthor-Photos-2021-7.png)
Adulthood begins when you are able to look beyond the person you see in the mirror.
Abandoned by Faith
As I began to mature in my teenage years, my faith wavered.
Why Obsessions Matter
I chose to write about how my obsession with comics books, which seemed the opposite of my personality, has allowed me to grow into who I am, both as a writer and as a person.
Warm Milk
![Gia Deeton](https://gwn-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/29101503/gd.png)
I knew that it wasn’t a good reality. I knew it the first time it happened, and the second time, and the third time.
Hey, It’s Me
This piece was inspired by my desire to be upfront about who I am as a person, and grow from the experiences that shaped me.
Chink in the Armor
![Maggie Wang](https://gwn-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/29100417/mw.png)
my father always asks me: who are you?