Plus celebrating Robin Thede, Mahalia Jackson, and more!
February 13-19
Featured Girls Write Now Story
A Valentine's Day Playlist:
From Hope to Heartbreak
A Story Collection
Curated by Editor-in-Residence Morayo Faleyimu
This bittersweet Valentine's Day collection chronicles the evolution of a romance from its earliest sparks to its eventual demise. Consider each piece as a track in a Valentine's Day playlist and savor how our writers use poetry, fiction, memoir, and multimedia to capture the intangible nature of young love.
Happening Write Now
FRIDAY NIGHT SALON
Celebrating Black History, Present, and Future Through Storytelling with Janis Kearney
Friday, Feb. 24, 6-7:15 PM ET, Virtual
We're paying tribute to the Queen of Gospel, Mahalia Jackson, with Janis Kearney, author of Only on Sundays: Mahalia Jackson's Long Journey. Through interviews, songs, and accounts from those who knew her, Janis crafted her new book about Mahalia's extraordinary story. We'll hear about the care and curiosity needed to write historical nonfiction from a creative lens and practice finding the spectacular figures in our own lives with writing prompts.
Open to the public, all mentors, mentees, and alumni
WRITING WORKS
Confidence to Dream: Defining Your Personal Narrative for Success
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2-4 PM ET, Virtual
Do you have a goal so ambitious, you're afraid to admit it even to yourself, let alone the people closest to you? In this workshop, participants will be guided through a series of creative writing exercises designed to help them assess how they show up in the world as different versions of themselves—aka, their various characters—and focus on developing themselves to have the confidence to dream big!
Open to all mentors, mentees, and alum
Community Spotlight
BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT
Robin Thede
How the HBO Star is Giving Back Through Girls Write Now
Robin Thede has been kicking down societal barriers and taking names since the beginning of her comedy career. As the first African-American woman to become head writer for a late night show, Robin paved the way for countless other young women of color. She is a steadfast donor and supporter of Girls Write Now, and at the Girls Write Now Awards, she was interviewed by mentee alum Fiki Hunt about patriarchy in comedy, journaling, and the all-Black, female writer's room she created for A Black Lady Sketch Show, set to renew for a fourth season.
PUBLICATION ANNOUNCEMENT
Mentee Carina Solis Publishes Chapbook "Daughtersong"
A Poetry Collection Exploring Girlhood
"I hope that the Girls Write Now community will enjoy this chapbook. As women and gender expansive people, we grew up experiencing a restraint on our voices. Not only does this collection explore that silence, I also hope that it will inspire all of us to break it, and create." -Carina Solis
IN REMEMBRANCE
Adina Talve-Goodman's Spirit Lives on in Her Essays
Your Hearts, Your Scars Chronicles a Mentor's Life with a Chronic Illness
Adina Talve-Goodman served as a beloved mentor at Girls Write Now in 2015 and 2016. A few years later, she tragically passed away from a heart defect. Bellevue Literary Press has posthumously published her book of essays, Your Hearts, Your Scars, which chronicles the solemn, bewildering, painful, and at times humorous, aspects of her illness. Learn more about Adina's legacy at Girls Write Now, and her book which speaks as a testament to the warmth and ferocity of her life.
Prompt of the Week
From Sam Arriozola, Girls Write Now Salon Teaching Artist
Write a list of people, places, and/or things that you love. Pick one subject, object, or place from your list. Write a list of simple acts of love connected to the subject you have chosen. Begin compiling all the things on your list into a love poem.
Join Sam Arriozola, a Chicana writer, youth worker, and poet, to learn about the intersection of Hip-Hop and poetry in this special Valentine's Day–inspired salon.
Get The Gig!
PARTNER OPPORTUNITY
Penguin Random House
Editorial Assistant, Pamela Dorman Books
The Pamela Dorman Books imprint of Penguin Random House, publisher of Me Before You and other best-selling titles, is seeking an Editorial Assistant to support the SVP/Publisher and Senior Editor, in concert with the Associate Editor, on a list that includes upmarket, commercial fiction, and some nonfiction.
Check out more opportunities here.
PARTNER INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Bloomsbury
Academic Marketing Intern, Spring 2023
Bloomsbury is seeking an intern who is interested in marketing and higher education to work hybrid in New York City this spring. As part of a small team, interns will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on social media, blog activities, the Bloomsbury Academic Podcast, and more!
Check out more opportunities here.
SCHOLARSHIP
National Institute of Health
Undergraduate Scholarship Program
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) offers competitive scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research.
Due date is April 3, 2023.
Check out more opportunities here.
