WriteGirl, 15 years of success

It was the fall of 2001, and I was laid off of my internet job. I took a few weeks to think about what i might want to do next with my life, and I found myself compelled to launch a writing program and organization for teen girls. Public schools in Los Angeles are large, creative writing programs are rare or nonexistent and there aren't enough college counselors to give girls the one-on-one support they need. Girls need to be guided and inspired to find their fire, their individual voices and their personal perspectives. And women writers need to have a significant way to share their experience and creative skills. I posted the idea of a creative writing program for girls on list-servs and through emails to friends. Within just a few weeks, there were 13 of us gathered around a conference table, fine-tuning a proposal to launch what would become WriteGirl. Several of those initial members are still involved, 15 years later! I'm grateful for them, and for all the women who have contributed along the way.

Today, WriteGirl works with over 300 girls annually, offering mentoring, workshops, public readings, and publishing opportunities. We work with underserved girls who are facing tremendous challenges such as poverty, overcrowded schools, unstable families, ineffective school counselors, pregnancy, depression, violence and incarceration. In 15 years, we have maintained a 100% success rate in not only helping our seniors in the Core Mentoring Program graduate from high school, but also guiding them to enroll in college! It's daunting, inspiring, overwhelming and joyous – all at the same time. I go to bed and wake up every day thinking about how to give girls the hope, tools and foundation they need to face where they are, see where they could go, and take the steps to get there. The work will never be done, but I'm glad to be making significant inroads with hundreds of girls every year.

We have published dozens of anthologies of creative work by girls and women. They are powerful books, full of poetry, essays, stories and lyrics that delve into the way girls feel about themselves and the world around them. Our books have won 71 book awards to date, and counting.

I am most proud of what our girls are doing once they have graduated from college. I didn't realize that this would be an outcome of participation in WriteGirl, but I'm so thrilled to hear about alums who are pursuing careers in community service, nonprofit management or advocacy for various causes. I know we can't take all the credit for their success, but I know we influenced them greatly in looking at the world with compassion and critical eyes and having confidence and vision to want to be part of positive social action.

Read more about WriteGirl, and let me know if you would like to get involved. We know you will enjoy our community of women and girls. If nothing else, buy a book for a teen girl in your life, and support WriteGirl as we help girls write their way to brilliant futures!

- Keren Taylor, WriteGirl Founder & Executive Director