SWEET JULY & GIRLS WRITE NOW

Writing Contest: Passing Down Our Stories 

Submit Your Writing & Win The Chance to Interview with Ayesha Curry

In celebration of Women's History Month, we are proud to partner with Ayesha Curry's Sweet July for a writing contest! Respond to the prompt: "Tell the story behind a family heirloom or tradition. How has it shaped who you are?" In addition to publication on the Sweet July website, the winner will have the opportunity to interview Ayesha Curry on Instagram Live in March!

Open to Girls Write Now mentees and alumni aged 14 and older. Submissions are due February 13, 2024.

MEDIA MENTION

Mentee Alum Publishes Opinion Essay for the Women's Media Center

Ifeoma Okwuka on the FDA Ban on Hair Straightening Products 

In an article for the Women's Media Center, mentee alum Ifeoma Okwuka recently wrote about the dangers associated with hair straightening products and her experience using them as a Black woman. In the essay, Okwuka argues that the FDA's proposed ban on styling products containing formaldehyde is a step in the right direction.

Prompt of the Week

From Ayana Perkins, Girls Write Now Fellow

Take any memorable life moment (a first date, moving out of your family home, even an argument) and write it from the perspective of the other person.

Ayana Danae Perkins, a versatile creative, originates from the South Bronx, NY, where she spent 23 years before settling in Jersey City in 2021. 
Fun Fact: When I was in high school, I randomly discovered that I could draw by trying to replicate a picture of Yosemite Sam from the Looney Tunes. To my surprise, it was nearly perfect.

LIFE@GWN

Josleen Wilson

A Volunteer for Over a Decade Speaks on What Girls Write Now Means to Her

"Like many of our girls in Girls Write Now, I started out at the wrong end of the stick and the wrong side of town. This was back in the 1940s and '50s. As a child, I was already writing, but people said, 'You can't do that. You're not good enough.' I managed to become a writer anyway. But I always remember what a few words of encouragement would have meant to me. And I've always known that there were other little girls out there who wanted to be somebody, too."

PODCAST ANNOUNCEMENT

Sign Up for Season 2 of Speaking in First Draft

Become an Interviewer or Guest on the Show

Join Girls Write Now's podcast, Speaking in First Draft, for our second season! We want to hear about your messy drafts, your writing struggles, and your triumphs. We invite all mentors, mentees, alumni, teaching artists, staff, and volunteers to sign up. Listen to the first season of Speaking in First Draft here.

SPECIAL EVENT

PitchFest Extravaganza: Take Your Best Shot with a Book Agent

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 4:30 - 6 PM ET, Virtual

Don't miss this opportunity to hear from the pros! Pitch your manuscript, and exchange expert feedback with some of the top literary agents in publishing. Participating literary agencies include HG Literary, Jane Rotrosen, Lowenstein Associates, Sterling Lord Literistic, Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency, Inc., Thompson Literary, Triangle Agency, Writers House, and more!

Event Prerequisites: Participants should complete the Query Letter Section Asynchronous lesson, accessible through the portal, and have a drafted query letter.

Open to all mentors and mentee alum;
Required for Fiction 360 participants aged 19+ and Nonfiction 360 participants.

PARTNER EVENT

College & Career Chat with donut

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 4:45 - 5:45 PM ET, Virtual

Take charge of your goals as Girls Write Now teams up with employees from donut, a social network connecting donors and volunteers with nonprofits to enable solving problems they're passionate about. You will meet with donut's "Mentors for the Day" to discover jobs in fields you may not know about, and ask your burning questions about how to get started.

Open to all mentees;
Required for Career 360, College 360, and Lead 360 participants

FRIDAY NIGHT SALON

Ancestry & Inheritance: Writing a First Novel Inspired by Our Own Story

Friday, Feb. 23, 6 - 7:15 PM ET, Hybrid Event
Online with In-Person Alumni Gathering

Join us for a Friday Night Salon that celebrates the importance of telling your story in your own voice. María Alejandra Barrios Vélez is a mentor alum and writer from Colombia's Caribbean coast who emigrated to the States six years ago. The Waves Take You Home, her first novel, is a tribute to her ancestors, magical realism, ghosts, and the resilience of the women in her community.

Girls Write Now alumni are invited to attend an after party with María Alejandra Barrios Vélez and other mentor and mentee alumni at the Girls Write Now Headquarters in NYC!

Open to the public; After party open to Girls Write Now alumni

PARTNER JOB OPPORTUNITY

Penguin Random House

Designer, Penguin Press

Penguin Random House is seeking a Designer to join the Penguin Press art department. In this role, you will be responsible for assisting in the design of hardcover jackets and paperback covers. The Designer will work closely with the art director and design staff in the preparation and routing of mechanicals, and readying them for printing purposes.

For Partner Job & Internship Opportunities, fill out the Employment Interest Form after submitting the application so Girls Write Now can support you during the application process!

Check out more opportunities here.

PARTNER INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Nike

Brand Narrative Intern

Nike is looking for a Brand Narrative Intern to join them for the summer! Interns in this space will be outstanding teammates, passionate about crafting sharp narratives, ensuring creative integrity, and performing to a high standard. They work under the direction of the narrative lead and work alongside producers and designers to craft outstanding creative work. 

For Partner Job & Internship Opportunities, fill out the Employment Interest Form after submitting the application so Girls Write Now can support you during the application process!

Check out more opportunities here.

CONTEST OPPORTUNITY

Optimist International

Essay Contest for Young Writers

The topic for the 2023-2024 school year is: "Optimism: How It Connects Us." The contest is open to contestants under the age of 19 as of October 1st of the current Optimist International contest year (October 1 – September 30), and who have not yet completed secondary school. 

Submission Due Date: February 28, 2024.

Check out more scholarship opportunities here.