Plus, you still have time to join the summer Collaboratory as a mentor or mentee!
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May 4 - May 10
Hope Lives In Our Words
Featured Media:
Find Your Next Obsession
Broken
By Ayah Al-Masyabi
The truth was, she didn’t wear it because it made her pretty, although that was a plus, or because it reminded her of someone. She wore it because when she got it, she was hopeless and felt alone. Nothing changed after she got the necklace, she still felt the same, but it reminded her that people still loved her, even when she was broken.
Following her three-year tenure as a Girls Write Now mentee, Ayah was hired on staff as an intern to help provide capacity-building support to the literary arts sector through Girls Write Now's partnership with the LitNYS coalition. During her time at Girls Write Now, Ayah worked on both journalistic and artistic projects, publishing her work in The Colorado Sun, YR Media, The Talon at the Community College of Denver, and more.
This summer in the Girls Write Now Collaboratory, you can work on an array of projects like Ayah, and design your own experience, in our Independent Study Journey.
Join the Collaboratory this Summer!
Deadline Extended though May 15
Find Your Passion & People as a Mentor or Mentee
Make this a summer to remember by applying to the Girls Write Now Collaboratory as a mentor or mentee. No matter your age, location, or level of experience, you'll find a Journey that is just right for you—including courses in podcasting, teaching, comedy, romance, and more, plus preparation for college and a diverse range of careers. Stretch your creativity and critical thinking in one-to-one intergenerational mentorships and community experiences as you work toward your personal and professional goals. This is an opportunity you don't want to miss—and now you have a bit more time to get in!
Submit Your Application by May 15
Mic Drop:
You Have to Hear This
LIFE@GWN BLOG
My daughter Makes Me Think I'm a Superhero...
A Special Mother-Daughter Edition with the Obiamalus: Mentor Nneka & Manager Christine
Girls Write Now Community Manager Christine Obiamalu helps lead our Enrollment and Engagement department, making sure mentors and mentees are supported every step of the way. Some say it runs in the family—behind every superhero, is a supermom. Christine recruited her mom Nneka to mentor, and now Nneka celebrates the superhero that motherhood and mentorship bring out in her. With Mother’s Day on the horizon, Christine and Nneka share their fondest memories, and proudest moments.
You can support the Girls Write Now family and honor a wonderful mom in your life with a gift in her name. Thank you for your donation today.
Nneka & Christine
Mother-Daughter;
Mentor-Manager
PODCAST SERIES
Speaking in First Draft
Speaking on Growing Older
This conversation moves through creativity,
time, and what it means to claim your voice no matter your age or where you begin. Let us welcome mentee Jayla Hall Cabrera, who published a book in their senior year of high school, proving that there are no rules, no boundaries, and no “right time” to put something out into the world. In conversation with mentee Sanjana Rajesh, they reflect on themes of death, choice, and the fleeting nature of time, inspired by the vignette-style storytelling in The House on Mango Street.
PROMPT OF THE WEEK
Collaging with Writing
By Olivia Wronski & Louise Edwards, Community Studio Facilitators
Have you ever made a collage by using magazine cut- outs or visual art? You can also use collage techniques to combine different types and textures of writing. Try making a collage by combining words from different sources in your life: newspaper headlines, journal entries, notes to your self, lines of poems that you can't get out of your head. How can you create meaning by juxtaposing words from different sources? What themes emerge?
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
The Protopian Prize
Write the Story of Humanity's Future
Girls Write Now partners with Metagov, The Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI), The Public AI Network, Democracy Notes, and The BLOOM Project on a writing contest to inspire fictional stories that imagine a positive future for humanity. Focus on the potential of AI to serve the public good, or to provide democratic governance. $5,000 will be awarded to the winner of each category.
Looking for the Perfect Mother's Day Gift? Honor the Mom in Your Life with a Donation that Nurtures the Next Generation of Writers.
Thank You for Your Support!
Happening Write Now:
Mark Your Calendar
COLLEGE CHAT
On the Record: A Journalism Career Chat
Tuesday, May 12, 4:45 PM-6 PM ET, Virtual
Journalism is
alive and well as long as Girls Write Now has something to say about it! Sharpen your pencils and stretch those typing fingers—it’s time to hear about how you can enter the journalism industry from people who already made it there. This Career Chat gives you the inside scoop on what to expect as an emerging journalist and how the industry has changed. Speakers include Jesse Sposato, Executive Editor at Narratively; Emi Nietfeld, author and independent journalist; Ilana Kaplan, Music Editor at PEOPLE; and more! Thank you to the Economic Hardship Reporting Project for partnering with us to support this event.
Open to all mentors, mentees, members & the public.
COMMUNITY STUDIO
Fictional World Building: Creating a World Readers Won’t Want to Leave
Thursday, May 14, 8-9 PM ET, Virtual
In fiction, the world in which your book idea exists is the world you are meant to build for yourself and your audience. In this studio, we'll explore and define the ways in which characters interact with the fictional world and each other, both in media and in real life, discovering the elements that are helpful to create their personalities and shape their adventures.
Open to all mentors, mentees, members & the public.
CAREER CHAT
Finesse Your Finances: A Career Chat with Raymond James
Tuesday, May 26, 4:15PM-5:30PM ET, Virtual
Everybody has money on their mind right now, and for good reason! Our partners at Raymond James join us to demystify and de-stigmatize all money matters. Learn their tips for managing personal finances and hear about pathways into the finance industry. Take advantage of an engaging session and make sure your money is working for YOU.
Open to all mentors, mentees, members & the public.
Get the Gig:
Curated Opportunities Just for You
Need help applying for these opportunities—and more?
Meet with a Mentor On Demand today!
JOB OPPORTUNITY
826 Boston
Digital Fundraising & Engagement Coordinator
826 Boston seeks a dynamic, communicative, and flexible individual to serve as the Digital Fundraising & Engagement Coordinator. We are seeking a candidate to support the organization’s individual giving program by implementing digital fundraising campaigns, donor communications, and social media engagement. This role helps grow and retain 826 Boston’s base of supporters to power free youth writing programs for students in Boston.
Ideal Start Date: August 10, 2026
Create a portal account to apply for this opportunity.
WRITING CONTEST
Youth Alliance for Writers & Poets
3,000 Word Contest for High Schoolers
Youth Alliance for Writers and Poets (YAWP) runs an annual nationwide writing contest for high school students grades 9- 12. They accept all genres up to 3,000 words. Each submission receives anonymous peer feedback through a student-judged exchange model. Winners are awarded publication, a certificate, and potential networking opportunities.
Deadline: May 31st, 2026
Create a portal account to apply for this opportunity.
JOB OPPORTUNITY
Mother Jones
Digital Producer
The Mother Jones Digital Producer will work across the full range of modern video journalism, including evolving their podcast properties into video-native experiences and extending the quick-turn, talent-forward video operation that keeps CIR visible and vital across every platform that matters.
Deadline: May 12th, 2026
Create a portal account to apply for this opportunity.
Want More Opportunities?
