Fact Sheet

We Are
Girls Write Now:
Mentoring
The Next Generation Of Women Writers Since 1998.   		                                     

Coming Up Taller

"Writing is the ladder to my future... I can't imagine life without Girls Write Now." ~Saba Moughal, 17

 

We are a community of women writers—educators, editors, poets, novelists, playwrights, journalists, literary agents, publishers, and more—on a mission. Since 1998 we’ve provided guidance, support, and opportunities for New York City's high school girls to develop their creative, independent voices, explore careers in professional writing, and learn how to make healthy choices in school, career, and life.
 

Girls Write What?

At the heart of our program are one-to-one mentoring relationships that blossom during the academic year through:

  • weekly pair meetings
  • intensive, genre-based monthly workshops and craft talks
  • the Girls College Bound college-prep series
  • the widely publicized CHAPTERS reading series, which culminates in the publication of our anthology
 
Girls Write Why?
  • New York City’s public school system enrolls more than one million children; almost half will not graduate on time.
  • As writing programs exist at few city schools, and girls still lack leadership opportunities available to boys, GWN serves as a lifeline for creative but underchallenged young women who have yet to see their ideas and ideals coalesce into polished, publicly recognized written work.

The best measures of our success are the girls’ remarkable achievements: For the past five seasons, 100% of our seniors have been accepted into college, many with significant scholarships. Over the past four years, we have won a total of 63 Scholastic Writing Awards. 

In November 2009, Girls Write Now received the Coming Up Taller Award, distinguishing us as one of the top 15 after-school programs in the country by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. For the last two years, Girls Write Now has been honored by the Union Square Awards for creating educational opportunities, building community, and promoting progressive social change. In April 2009, we were featured on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams as part of its “Making a Difference” series.
 
Girls Write Who?
  • Our mentees are bright young women ages 13 to 20 who attend high school throughout New York City’s five boroughs. Our membership reflects the dynamic population of our home: We recruit primarily from large, overcrowded, highly diverse or international public schools with limited extracurricular programs. 40% of Girls Write Now mentees are recent immigrants; 90% are girls of color.
  • Our mentors are a dedicated team of writing professionals who work for publications and institutions such as The New York Times, PBS, Simon & Schuster, Columbia University, and NYU.
  • Our board of directors and advisory board include some of New York City’s most distinguished educators, novelists, filmmakers, editors, literary publicists, and more. We’re proud to host guest speakers such as National Book Award winner Judy Blundell, Pulitzer Prize winner Annette Gordon-Reed, Academy Award nominee Anne Hathaway, and NBC National Correspondent Amy Robach.
 
Girls Write Where?

Girls Write Now headquarters are in midtown Manhattan; workshops and readings are hosted by our community allies at institutions around the city including Barnard College, Scholastic, CUNY Graduate Center, The New School University, and The New York Society for Ethical Culture. In addition to NBC Nightly News, we’ve been featured in The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and many other local and national publications.

 

Help Girls Write Forever!

Now more than ever, we are depending on our community of dedicated supporters to help us stay strong. A donation of any size will have a real impact on the lives of girls in New York City; time or resources are also invaluable.

Girls Write Now is supported in part by public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, The New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency, and The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, as well as a range of corporations, foundations, and generous individuals like you.

To donate, please send check made out to “Girls Write Now” to address in footer, or donate online .

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter , or join us at Shewrites.com/group/girlswritenow

For more information or to get involved, please e-mail info@girlswritenow.org.
 
Pair At GWN Day    Tashi at GWN Day

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