Be bright. Be brash. Be bold.
This is Ctrl + B: The Girls Write Now 2019 Multimedia Anthology in which softness is strength, words are power, and art is revolution. Operating at the intersection of language, technology, and art, the original work housed in this genre and medium-bending anthology demonstrates the passion, creativity, and unique insight of the teen writers and artists of Girls Write Now. Their stories are transmitted through podcasts, videos, graphic design, websites, and more—all the ways that we write today. The next generation of women writers are shifting and challenging the paradigms of our communities. You will be moved by their voices to ask yourself the bold question: “What will you Ctrl+B?”
Read the Foreword
My entire working life as a writer/producer/comedian has been on the internet. Writing now means many slashes in your job title, and so many overlapping digital skills. It’s my fifth year as a mentor, and each year I’ve had the pleasure of watching the teen artists in Girls Write Now adapt, experiment, and share at every step of the way. This is exactly the kind of creative process that I see flourishing in digital communities, as creators play with mediums and bend genres.
This is the power of a digital anthology: arming young people with the tools of 2019 and making space for them to go wild.
Sharing your story is a bold act in itself, and dang these teens are good at it. But the mission of Girls Write Now is about finding your voice, and that’s not just one story. Ctrl+B is a living, breathing ode to a year- long journey, and the start of a lifelong creative process. So follow their lead, and dive in.
KK Apple, Girls Write Now Mentor
KK Apple
KK Apple is a writer, comedian, and filmmaker in Brooklyn. She’s a former UCB Theatre Harold Night improviser who cut her (big) teeth performing in the New York comedy scene and has been featured at festivals across the US and Canada. Her solo sketch show The Rhythm Is Going to Get You ran for six months at UCB Theatre Hell’s Kitchen and played to sold out crowds in NYC and LA. As a choreographer, she’s created dance work for the stage, music videos, and TV.Her last original short, I’m Peach, was a satirical PSA featured in Vulture and Funny or Die. As a freelance writer and video producer, she’s created video scripts and creative campaigns for digital companies like Vimeo, Vox, and HBO. She also worked on the Emmy-winning crowdsourced film project Star Wars Uncut, and produced an interactive experience at Tribeca Storyscapes.
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Family Matters by Mentee Maliyah
“This piece, titled Family Matters, is an honest look at what members of a family truly feel about their role within a family. Being able to be vulnerable when the topic of family comes up is very bold, and I suggest asking these types of questions to members of your family because you will learn so much from it.” – Girls Write Now Mentee Maliyah
View Maliyah’s and other Girls Write Now mentee multimedia projects at ctrlb.girlswritenow.org.