—MAIRA KALMAN, author of The Principles of Uncertainty
“Girls Write Now provides an incredible service: mentorship and support for young writers. But those young writers provide us an even more incredible gift: their voices and stories; their insight, honesty, and nerve. Their voices are vital and vibrant and we are lucky to have them. What a joy and an honor to get to bear witness and read such important and triumphant work.”
—SARAH KAY, author of No Matter the Wreckage
“Fresh, energetic, essential—this vibrant anthology celebrates the stories of young women in a way that feels more vital now than ever. Here are the voices of our future.”
—DEBORAH LANDAU, author of The Uses of the Body
“We become strong women when we find our voices and tell our truths with unflinching honesty, even in the hardest times. What does it take to be a girl right now? How do we thrive? Rise Speak Change offers brave answers.”
—MEG MEDINA, author of Burn Baby Burn
“The revolution is now and girls are leading the way! They are not afraid to speak up. These are the voices of our future leaders, activists, change makers. Give this book to all the girls and boys in your life. Give it to all the adults. Read it. Listen to their words. This is the revolution.”
—ELLEN OH, CEO and president of We Need Diverse Books
“Never has the mission of Girls Write Now—to empower young women to use their voices to effect change—been more urgent, and never has it been more resonant on a national scale.”
—LAUREN OLIVER, author of Before I Fall and the Delirium trilogy
“Frankly, I’m jealous of the young women who have Girls Write Now as a community and source of encouragement, and I wish I’d had that as a young book nerd, writing alone in my bedroom. Even now as an established writer, I’m so grateful for the hope it gives me.”
—MORGAN PARKER, author of There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé
“Giving young women the ability to express themselves with clarity and force is an act of great potential social and political power. Girls Write Now harnesses that power.”
—ZADIE SMITH, author of Swing Time
“Girls Write Now is electric, filled with more ideas, energy, and power than all the lightbulbs in the Empire State Building. If these girls are the future, which of course they are, the future is glorious.”
—EMMA STRAUB, author of Modern Lovers and Girls Write Now mentor alum
“Writing is one of our most powerful forms of self-expression. It helps us discover who we are at the deepest levels of our beings. By offering girls the opportunity to find and share their unique and authentic voices, Girls Write Now illuminates paths to perspectives that might not otherwise be heard. Their writing reminds us all that stories and what they teach us truly matter and can make a profound difference in the way we experience our world and the way we see ourselves.”
—RUTH WARINER, author of The Sound of Gravel
“There is nothing more vital than giving young women the tools to craft their own narratives. Girls Write Now is uniquely necessary—now more than ever. Its mission to empower fresh voices will help in the writing of a more equitable future.”
—ELAINE WELTEROTH, editor of Teen Vogue
“Girls Write Now teaches young women something radical: that their voices matter. Writing is a way to be heard, a way to find one’s own power—and, as the writers in this anthology so earnestly, beautifully demonstrate, a way to empower others.”
—MARA WILSON, author of Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame
“To read the essays in a Girls Write Now anthology is to witness lives being changed. The girls’, by their mentors. The mentors’, by the girls. And, quite possibly, your own, by what you’ve just read.”
—JENNIE YABROFF, author of If You Were Here
Copyright © 2017 by Girls Write Now, Inc.
First Digital Edition Copyright © 2017 by Feminist Press
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, digital scanning, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Any requests for using, reproducing, storing, or transmitting by any means of this work should be directed to Girls Write Now, 247 West 37th Street, Suite 1000, New York, NY 10018, Attn: Copyright Request.
Published 2017
E-ISBN: 978-1-936932-13-9
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017940442
Cover design © Rachel Ake
Interior design by Elizabeth A. D. Eno
For information, address:
Girls Write Now, Inc.
247 West 37 Street, Suite 1000
New York, NY 10018
CONTENTS
NOTE FROM ANTHOLOGY COMMITTEE CHAIR
INTRODUCTION by Tanwi Nandini Islam