The Wing hosted a dynamic reading and discussion with our mentees and mentors at their warm and inviting Flatiron location. Camille Perri, author of the books The Assistants and When Katie Met Cassidy (to be published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, June 19th) delivered a thought-provoking keynote address. Camille engaged mentees and underscored the importance of bravely sharing your story in the current social climate, the power of mentoring and her (disciplined) writing process. Camille gets her best writing done in the early morning hours, she shared. Mentees Maryclare Chinedo, Gia Deeton, Grace Han and Natalie Mojica shared their stories (several of the pieces are showcased in The Wing’s debut magazine, No Man’s Land) and a dynamic discussion ensued with the audience about the ever crucial and daunting creative process.
Members of The Wing shared personal anecdotes and wrote letters to our mentee community about the power of mentoring. Here, a few examples:
- My mentor was my boss while I did an internship. She treated me like a peer, valued my opinion and never let me doubt myself. How could someone have so much confidence in me? I never knew, but it was contagious. By the end of the internship, her strength was mine, too.
- My mentor, Natalie, took me to Greece, where I found my voice and was told that my writing was good enough. Natalie was honest and celebrated my work, making me feel like my writing mattered.
- My mentor encouraged me to start a writing club for women this year. It’s been only a couple months but is truly changing my life.
- My mentor and I first bonded over coffee creamer in the kitchen at work. Random, but true. Coffee chats naturally become our thing. I go to my mentor with questions, big and small, and we’ve become incredible friends over the course of six years. Caffeine is clearly magical.
- My mentor taught me the importance of speaking up: asking questions, taking initiative, and understanding my thoughts and feelings are valid (and that’s it’s totally OK to cry when you ‘re feeling disappointed).