The marches were multigenerational, but it is the young women, the girls, who are carrying the torch. Generation F—perhaps F for “fuck” or “feminism” or “future”—you are asking the difficult questions that are leading movements to fight against gun violence, sexual assault, and police brutality.
What a time to be alive. You are navigating what it means to have the most freedom of any generation before you while also recognizing that sexism, racism, and other -isms still hold hostage your sense of self and your futures.
These confusing times call for self-reflection, and for sharing, and there is no better way to do that than through the written word. Girls Write Now is revolutionary in confronting the reality that women’s voices are often overlooked, forgotten—or, worse, silenced. While the writing industry can continue to feel like an ivory tower, Girls Write Now creates space for diverse girls to workshop ideas, and by being a part of this organization, you are able to tell your stories.
So what happens when you find the space to express your inner lives? Fabulous transformation. It is through the telling of our stories that change happens, that our existence is written and our lives begin to matter to forces bigger than ourselves.
I’m beyond excited and privileged to introduce this ground-breaking collection of voices in Generation F: The Girls Write Now 2018 Anthology.
SAMHITA MUKHOPADHYAY is currently the executive editor at Teen Vogue. She is the coeditor of Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance and Revolution in Trump’s America and the author of Outdated: Why Dating Is Ruining Your Love Life.
RACHEL ABEBE
YEARS AS MENTEE: 1
GRADE: Junior
HIGH SCHOOL: High School of American Studies
BORN: Bronx, NY
LIVES: Bronx, NY
MENTEE’S ANECDOTE: Working with my mentor has been such a great experience not only because we get a lot of work done, but because our meetings truly inspire me to write more. We have explored new genres and forms, and it makes me feel very lucky to be in a community where creativity is celebrated.
MARYELLEN TIGHE
YEARS AS MENTOR: 3
OCCUPATION: Assistant Editor, Debtwire Municipals
BORN: Council Bluffs, IA
LIVES: New York, NY
MENTOR’S ANECDOTE: So much of Rachel’s work is inspired by, or written for, people she knows and loves, which is inspiring in its vulnerability. Writing with her reminds me how important my friends and family are and how much they have shaped me. I am glad she feels so connected to her community, and I cannot wait to watch her build on that foundation and continue to excel.
This piece is about friendship—specifically, the power of female friendship.
Singing through the halls and dancing in the rain
Navigating through uneven terrain
Having them makes you feel a little more sane
Painting eyes and tying laces
Giggling loud and pulling faces
All the things that friendship encases
When you are with them
You will always feel the sun
Because a girl in the arms of friends
Is a girl who has won
Rachel and I were discussing how much we appreciate our female friends, and we had a goal of writing more poetry this year, so this is how these two ideas came together for me.
From skinned knees to class
from soccer to grad school and
weddings, growing up.
Promise to never
play “Jai Ho!” again. Though, I
miss the dinosaurs.
Have you considered
watching The Golden Compass
while in Baltimore?
Hurricane-zone life:
sun, beaches, cruise, everglades,
evacuations.
Science fiction and
writing. The formation of
the first planets, stars.
Starting with bikes to
origami, hikes. Sharing
stories, patterns, time.
JISELLE ABRAHAM
YEARS AS MENTEE: 4
GRADE: Senior
HIGH SCHOOL: Edward R. Murrow High School
BORN: Queens, NY
LIVES: Brooklyn, NY
MENTEE’S ANECDOTE: For the past four years, Girls Write Now provided me with a community of girls like me to share our feelings. Even if I didn’t share at workshops, it was good to hear what goes on in other people’s heads when they write. Thanks to Girls Write Now, I have a different perspective, and I have learned that every writing genre is a different outlet that can help express other sides of me. I want to thank the Girls Write Now community and my mentor for helping me move forward with writing. It will always be a part of me everywhere I go.
HEATHER STRICKLAND
YEARS AS MENTOR: 4
OCCUPATION: Senior Manager Internal Communications, American Express
BORN: Philadelphia, PA
LIVES: Brooklyn, NY
MENTOR’S ANECDOTE: Over the last four years, I have watched Jiselle grow tremendously, from a quiet, shy girl to a strong, opinionated woman. In turn, Jiselle has challenged me to explore new genres and always asks me how my writing is going, reminding me to put words on the page. We have