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Home / News / Media Mentions / 2015 Media Mentions

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie attends the Girls Write Now Awards honoring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Pamela Paul and Juju Chang at Tribeca 360 on May 19, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Janette Pellegrini/Getty Images for Girls Write Now)

2015 Media Mentions

The 24 Best Literary Debuts Of 2015

Buzzfeed
December 23, 2015

Buzzfeed featured the 24 best literary debuts of 2015. The list included all four of our 2016 CHAPTERS Reading Series keynotes: Mia Alvar, Angela Flournoy, Tanwi Nandini Islam, and Naomi Jackson.

Read more >

8 Literary Charities That Need Your Help

Lit Reactor
December 28, 2015

“6. Girls Write Now

Their website provides a pretty succinct mission statement: “Girls Write Now mentors underserved young women to find their voices through the power of writing and community.” GWN is located in New York City, where overcrowded and underfunded classrooms cause delayed graduation and surprisingly low writing proficiency rates. Since its founding in 1998, Girls Write Now has been recognized by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. They’re no longer accepting applications for 2015-2016 mentors, but their application processopens up again in April. You can make monetary donations and learn about fundraising here.”

Read more >

Top 5 Teen Voices Partner Stories of 2015

Women's eNews
December 23, 2015

“Teen Voices delivers the direct, authentic voices of teen girls through our partnerships with youth serving organizations that work with thousands of girls in Afghanistan, Kenya, Uganda, Morocco, Kenya and the United States. Here, we’re celebrating the top partner stories of this year that got you reading and sharing their voices online.

No. 5: Teen’s Journey of Acceptance More Than Skin Deep

It was always hard for Girls Write Now teen Rachel Aghanwa to write about her race, but then an ad she saw while traveling in Nigeria made her realize she should see herself as a blessing, instead of a curse. Read the full story.”

Read more >

5 Reasons She Writes And SWP Support Girls Write Now – And Why the Girls Need Your Support Too

She Writes
December 8, 2015

“Next spring, She Write Press will proudly publish its Passion Project for 2016: the annual anthology for Girls Write Now. Girls Write Now is a New York City based nonprofit that combines mentoring and writing to change the lives of teenage girls, and, as a mission-driven company dedicated to empowering women writers, we couldn’t be prouder to be the girls’ publisher next spring.

However our support of this transformative organization—which has been honored not once but twice by the White House as one of the top fifteen after school arts and cultural organizations in the country—is year-round, and as 2015 draws to a close, GWN needs your help. Here are five reasons we are asking our community to rally around these brave, remarkable, talented young women by donating to their annual holiday appeal:

1) Girls Write Now Provides a Path to the Future…

2) Girls Write Now Produces The Writers of Tomorrow…

3) Girls Write Now Goes Beyond Writing…

4) Girls Write Now Teaches Girls To Proudly “Author” Their Own Lives…

5) As She Writers, We Get It…“

Read more >

Every 16-year-old in Sweden will receive “We Should All Be Feminists”

Women in the World
December 7, 2015

“Sweden announced last week that successful lobbying from Swedish Women’s Lobby and publisher Albert Bonniers, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s feminist manifesto, “We Should All Be Feminists,” will be distributed to every 16-year-old high school student in the country. The essay is based on Nigerian-born Adichie’s popular 2012 Ted Talk of the same name, which has been viewed over 2 million times, and sampled by Beyonce in her song “Flawless.” “We Should All Be Feminists” was first published in English last year.“

Read more >

Sweden is giving every 16-year-old a gift to help them understand feminism.

Upworthy
December 4, 2015

“Sweden is making sure its teenagers understand what an equal world looks like.

The Swedish Women’s Lobby, together with publishing company Albert Bonniers Förlag and the UN Association of Sweden, just announced that every high school sophomore will be given a gift: a copy of the book “We Should All Be Feminists” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

It’s not your typical high school reading, but perhaps it should be. The gesture could greatly benefit Sweden’s future — its health, economy, happiness, the whole shebang (yeah, she-bang seems about right). That’s exactly why they’re doing it.“

Read more >

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Gifts That Give Back

Cool Hunting
November 26, 2015

“Tanwi Nandini Islam is a Brooklyn-based feminist writer (author of queer coming-of-age novel “Bright Lines”) who also tells stories through scents via her apothecary line, Hi Wildflower Botanica. Her #GetLit candle series ($30 each) is a unique collaboration with authors to translate their words into fragrance. Lincoln Michel’s short story collection “Upright Beasts” inspired notes of black spruce, blood cedarwood, dirt; while Saeed Jones’ poetry stirs dawn’s dew, honeysuckle vine and bay rum. Part of the proceeds benefit NYC mentoring non-profit Girls Write Now.”

Read more >

Giving Girls A Voice

Chime for Change
October 1, 2015

“What do we mean by giving girls a voice?

Based in New York City, Girls Write Now*, is a program that pairs promising young women writers from underprivileged background with professional women in writing and media.

A report published last year by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund revealed that in the American school system, African-American girls are more likely than any other group of girls to be suspended, expelled or held back entirely. Their suspension rates are almost six times that of their white counterparts and more than most boys of color as well. These and other daunting educational obstacles prevent thousands of young African-American girls from fulfilling their dreams.”

Read more >

Am I A Woman?

The Huffington Post
November 6, 2015

“As a budding documentarian who intends on minoring in Women and Gender Studies and Sociology, I am acutely aware of the portrayals of women in media. Why Is it that strong-willed women are illustrated as being heartless and unemotional, or anything undesirable, but women who rely on men are loving, fun, and cool? Why can’t you be a well rounded woman who is strong minded? Why is it that you have to be seen as less than a woman for doing what you want?

This article was partly inspired by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s speech that she presented subsequent to being honored at the 2015 Girls Write Now Awards. She basically discussed that women should not aspire to be likable, but should aim to be comfortable with living in their truth. Obviously, you should not be rude and disregard people, because that is mean-spirited and uncalled-for, but being well liked should not be a priority. As women, we are subliminally taught that we have to deal with any and every situation or person that comes our way no matter how unhealthy it is for us.”

Read more >

Gang of New York

SA Weekend
October 31, 2015

“Gill loves to write and is a mentor with Girls Write Now, which teaches young, disadvantaged city women about the art of writing. Busy is an understatement. “Everyone comes to New York to make something of themselves. You don’t come here to chill out. Everyone has a bazillion things going on. I thought it would be like Friends where everyone sits on the couch and drinks coffee but you’re pushed up against people all the time.””

Check out more of this article about our mentor Bec Susan Gill!

Read more >

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Donate Now

Presenting Girls Write Now Live: Unmuted Spring Performance Series!

Join Girls Write Now mentees and mentors and special guest honorees for a boundary-pushing performance series! This season, we’re proud to bring you eight shows—March 12, March 26, April 9, April 23, May 7, May 18, May 21 and June 11. Register now to join us in celebrating the power of shared stories!

Life Resources and Events

At Girls Write Now, we work to challenge and change the systemic racism and inequality by breaking down the barriers of race and poverty to elevate the voices of girls and gender nonconforming youth who are too often not heard—or worse, silenced. From mental and emotional wellness to advocating for racial justice, we are here to support you individually and as a community through our robust programming. Check out our calendar to see our current offerings or visit our Life Resources page to support you during this time.

Friday Night Salon with Diana Whitney and Lynn Melnick

Join us on Friday, April 16 from 6-7:30PM ET for Speaking the Unspeakable: Writing Yourself into Poems with Diana Whitney and Lynn Melnick!

Girls Write Now Stands in Solidarity with the AAPI Community

At Girls Write Now, we are alarmed and deeply disturbed by the recent incidents of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the country. As ever, we are committed to challenging systemic racism and xenophobia, and standing in solidarity with our community as we process and heal through art and storytelling.

Become a Part of Our Community!

Girls Write Now is a dynamic, multi-generational community of writers on a mission. Complete our Inquiry Form to be notified when enrollment for the 2021-22 program year opens!

We’re Hiring!

Looking for more purpose-driven work in the new year? Check out available roles to join the team! 

GIVE. WRITE. NOW. And Thank you!!

Girls Write Now’s services are more essential than ever before—serving the hardest hit communities—and many of our young women and gender nonconforming youth have themselves become essential workers to help their families. They carry an enormous burden and face devastating loss, slipping further into poverty. To meet the need, we have enriched and extended our programs, leading the historical transition to virtual learning.

Get Involved!

Are you a licensed mental health professional who’d love to work with our community of writers and creatives? We’re seeking volunteer Wellness Advisors. Get more info & apply here!

Relive the Girls (Re)Write Now Awards

If you missed the awards, you can still watch it! Relive this revolutionary night of mini–master classes with honorees on empathy, art, activism & humor and Girls Write Now mentees on writing with purpose, climate justice & self-care. 

Writing from our Future Leaders

Taking Our Place in History: the Girls Write Now 2020 Anthology was published with support from Dutton and Amazon Literary Partnership, available for purchase from McNally Jackson Books and anywhere ebooks are sold!

Girls Write Now in the News

Girls Write Now’s work has recently been featured by the National Endowment for the Arts, Time Out New York, NYXT and more!

Girls Write Now

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