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• GIRLS WRITE NOW, INC.

Family friend came over to the united states. She had poor English skills but was really excited about writing. Also very sky. This organization allowed to come out of her shell and become a confident writer.

Girls Write Now is consistently impressive at delivering quality mentorship to girls in the New York City public schools. At the same time, Girls Write Now provides a way and a space for women to volunteer their time and expertise and feel part of a meaningful community. As a board member and volunteer, I have connected to the organization for more than 5 years and GWN continues to impress me more and more.

I have attended several of the early presentations of Girls Write Now as well as, most recently, the Tenth presentation. I have been consistently impressed by the quality of the work, by the candor with which the young women address sensitive issues and above all by the passion they display. What I see is not only that they have learned a craft (be it poetry or story telling), but they have developed a voice. They speak for themselves, and they speak for their community as well -- bringing both the pain and the pride they have seen to the audience in ways that make it impossible to miss the point. Many of us have heard the slogan "educate a woman and you educate a family" -- I would add a new one to this "give a woman a voice, and you give her community a voice". Girls Write Now has given many, many young women a chance to be heard -- and this will improve their lives as well as the lives of those who hear them.

Saturday morning finally arrived. It was first day of the Girls Write Now mentoring training program. I was so happy to be part of the program. I arrived on 8th Avenue and found the building. I took a deep breath, and pushed the doors open. I was so nervous that I wanted to run back home. I entered the lobby and meekly approached the concierge. I asked for the Girls Write Now Program. He must have had keen insight because he gave me a big smile and said, "It is on the 20th floor." I entered the elevator along with several other girls. The journey up felt like an eternity. I began to fret over the usual worries such as, "Will I make a friend? Will the mentors be kind? I began to regret that I did not persuade a friend to participate in the program with me. Ding. The elevator arrived, and it broke my stream of self-doubting questions. I said to myself, "All right, let's get this show on the road." I stepped off the elevator and I was greeted by a two other mentees. They gave me a warm welcome, a big smile, a name tag and a gift. I was given my own personal journal. I ran my fingers over the cover and smiled. Somehow I knew I was in the right place. I was asked to complete an application consisting of mixed questions about my background, interests, likes and dislikes. Then all of the mentors and mentees were instructed to break up into groups. I socialized with professional women who have exciting and creative careers. I could not believe that I had the opportunity to meet a woman who works in advertisement at MTV. I also met an author of a cookbook, and spoke with other journalists. I felt as if I entered a world that was never available to me before. I felt lucky. Later, I had the chance to participate in a discussion with women from diverse backgrounds. We discussed values pertaining to the writing field such as respect, creativity, and family. These are values that I cherish, and it was nice to share them with other women who cared. The day ended with a discussion about future events and learning the Girls Write Now Pledge. I was so excited to hear that I will have the chance to attend so many exciting writing workshops and visit places such as Barnard College. I looked at my watch and I could not believe that four hours had passed. I left the building with more confidence then I had when I entered. I also had a huge smile and a good feeling in my heart.

I originally learned about this organization from a friend who is an active volunteer and have since become a supporter and fan. I’ve also read the anthology of the girls and mentors work which shows off what talented writers are in the program. Not only does Girls Write Now addresses an important need in New York City, but I can see the organization also creates a close and strong community of women, writers and leaders.