Contributors
Features
Natalia Thompson, 16, Madison, WI
I am a sixteen-year-old Mexican-American writer and activist from Madison, Wisconsin with five years of experience of writing for a diverse range of publications, including New Moon, Cricket, Stone Soup, and most recently, off our backs. Earlier this year, my op-ed on Iraqi women and girls appeared on the website of PBS NewsHour Extra, and I write on politics, activism, and international women's issues for New Moon's blog. I am currently working as an editorial intern for New Moon magazine.
Prose
Emily Bennett, 17, Deerfield, IL
My name is Emily Bennett. I am seventeen, and a student at Deerfield High school.
Natalya Carrico, 18, Oak Park, IL
Natalya has literary jeans. She is a strong believer in the reality of fiction and hopes to publish a book some day. At her house, a self-righteous, death-cheating cat named Gemini is waiting to be fed.
Erin Cofrancesco, 12, New Haven, CT
I'm Erin Cofrancesco, a 12-year-old girl. I live in Connecticut, and attend St. Aedan School. Although I do play soccer, this story is story. I still had to play goalie once, however, and I enjoyed it. Sometimes you have to take a chance to find your strength.
Lindsay Eanet, Columbia, MO
Erin Nederbo, 17, Chicago, IL
Erin Nederbo is a 17 year old high school senior at Trinity High School in River Forest, IL. She has been writing since she was 14 and is involved in Gallery 37's Performance Poetry Program and Young Chicago Author's Saturday Writing Program. She is a former participant of the Steppenwolf Crosstown Teen Ensemble and the 2007 Louder Than a Bomb Teen Poetry Slam. Her favorite medium to write in is fiction and she hopes to someday make a living off of it.
Ashley Slupski, 17, Chicago, IL
Ashley is a super tiger vegetable who is going to college in a cornfield so she can ride her bike and read books all day. She enjoys peas, pea coats, pea green and pea soup.
Poetry
Emily Bennett (see Prose)
Catalina Brennan, 14, New Haven, CT
Magdelena Cassel, 16, Chicago, IL
This is my first time submitting... I first discovered GirlSpeak through Louder Than a Bomb 2007 (I'm the student coach for Northside's slam team). I decided to send in a piece I wrote for my grandmother, trying to tell her story.
Kristiana Colón, 21, Chicago, IL
Kristiana Colón, one of Chicago's Def Poets, is a graduate student at the School of the Art Institute Chicago. Born and raised in Chicago, Kristiana has been writing and performing for six years, and recently mounted her first play, but 1 cd only whisper directed by Tiffany Trent. She toured Chicago with Grammatical Era and London with the WordWide poetry slam team, which featured at London's first inner-city youth slam. She has been featured on Power 92, WBEZ Chicago Public Radio, WGN Radio, and WZRD. Kristiana has rocked the mic at some of the nation's top venues including the Metro, the Park West, the Star Plaza Theater, the Aragon, the HotHouse, Funky Buddha Lounge, Sonotheque, the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe and Sutra Lounge in New York and several colleges and universities. She has shared the stage with highly acclaimed writers Marc Smith, the creator of the worldwide 'poetry slam' phenomenon, Kevin Coval, Tara Betts, Idris Goodwin, Triple Blak, Malik Yusef, Anna West, Sonia Sanchez, and has opened for Grammy-nominated band Ozomatli and internationally-acclaimed comedian Damon Williams. In 2005, she released her independently produced spoken word CD entitled Who Haunts Eden and was featured on HBO's fifth season of Def Poetry Jam. In addition to recording, publishing, and performing, Kristiana is a recent graduate of the University of Chicago and spends some time teaching drama, performance poetry, and other forms of creative writing in inner-city schools to talented youth ages 6 - 18. She believes in the power of art as an educational tool and is committed to arts integration as a way to reinvigorate the learning experience. She is pursuing a career in literary and performance art and arts education.
Erica Dickerson, 16, Chicago, IL
Cydney Edwards, 16, Chicago, IL
Dianna Harris, 17, Calumet City, IL
Tessa McGann, 13, New Haven, CT
I'm Tessa, age 13, and I come from the beautiful town of New Haven, CT. Inspiration for this poem comes from the many late nights spent riding in the back-seat, half-asleep and totally at peace with the world.
Claire Niederberger, 15, Chicago, IL
I was born in Houston, grew up in Chicago. I am incredibly interested in the visual and literary arts.
Margaret Elizabeth Ramos, 21, Los Angeles, CA
I am a Salvadoran American born and raised in Los Angeles. I am proud to be of humble and cultured roots. I currently attend the University of San Francisco, studying Literature, Latin American Studies and Education. I want to become an English high school teacher, wheather it be in Los Angeles, San Francisco, or El Salvador, I am open to the surprises life brings to me. Studying abroad in El Salvador this spring changed my life and the way I see the world. Many of my pieces were written in El Salvador, inspired by the people I met, the testimonies that made me cry, and the people that made me laugh and learn to live a simple life.
Amanda Torres, 21, Chicago, IL
Sarah Winters, 16, Chicago, IL
Gallery
Audrey Albright, 22, Georgia
I am an Atlanta based artist working in watercolor and pen and ink work that I feel would be perfect for your publication. I attending Savannah College of Art and Design receiving my bachelors degree in illustration and am currently working on my masters in art education.
Liz Born, 18, Chicago, IL
Emily Feather, 20, Los Gatos, CA
Lucile Gazengel, 17, France
Girls Write Now
Leah Goldstein, 20, Baltimore, MD
Carmen Keck, 20, SC
Bronwyn Lewis, 20, Durham, NC
My name is Bronwyn Lewis, I'm 20, and have actually gone to Rhode Island School of Design with Alice Costas for the last couple years. (Alice, we're so glad you're staying in town!) My major is illustration, and especially I like to make dolls and marionnettes - although unfortunately my photographs of them are not stellar (hence, I've only submitted one picture of one of my dolls). I'm originally from Durham, NC, where there is a really cool music and craft culture. Long story short, I love art school and I love making things.
Alisha Lopez, 17, Chicago, IL
My name is Alisha Lopez, I'm soon to be 18, currently 17. I'm a senior at Lake View High School in Chicago, Illinois and I've been an artist for pretty much my entire life. I do many things such as sing, dance, write, and play music. This piece that I am sending you was entered into an all state art competition and to my surprise, I won. I titled it "Picture perfect" and it's a self portrait of me.
Cat Marinis, 20
Cat's practice involves mixed media. It's easier to say it is. She studies Creative Arts in Melbourne and is figuring out slowly which style works best. She volunteers for a Human Rights Arts and Film festival (www.hraff.org.au) and for an artist run space called Utopian Slumps. She is trying to figure herself out and what the meaning of art really is
Camille Mendoza, 18, Oak Park, IL
Alicia Rodriguez, 15, Chicago, IL
Katie Schuering, 20, NY
I'm currently a Junior Advertising Design major at Syracuse University. When at college, I take photos for the Daily Newspaper but in my free time I like to explore the shell of what was once the city of Syracuse. This past summer I decided to live in New York City just to see what it would be like. Some of these photos are from the summer so far.
Tatsuang Tantakosol, 17, Thailand
I'm a 17 year old girl who lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Everybody here call me "Tan". I have 1 brother and 1 dog. I am currently in my senior year in high school. With its 700 years of immensely rich culture and tradition, Chiang Mai has become a great place for artists - where ever you go in Chiang Mai, you can see art everywhere. You might say that's one of my inspirations in art, because seeing art around me everyday has made it become a part of my life. All my life, I was always involved with art, seeing as since kindergarten my favorite subject has been art. My goal is just to be an artist and be able to share my art with people from around the world.
Bettina Thomas, 18, Dubai, UAE
I was born and I grew up in Germany and 2 years ago my family (so including me) moved to Dubai. I started to draw when I was very young and I've always been creative. Now I prefer photography because the camera sees more things than the eye can capture. I also sing since many years and I used to go to a private singing school in germany. Music is another kind of art that I like too. Art is the most important to me in life and I love to look at art as well, I love the art from Victoria Frances and Luis Royo but there are also many others and specialy some not famous ones where I really like their work.
Monique van Uden, 16, Netherlands
I'm a girl who loves to be working with her hands. Drawing and painting are my favourites to do, but I also like to photograph. Together with this, my biggest hobby is dancing!! I also have a Deviantart account; http://moownique.deviantart.com
Ona Wang, 17, Chicago, IL
Kendra Werst, 16, MO
Multimedia
Kristiana Colón
Cydney Edwards (see Poetry)
Dianna Harris (see Poetry)
Claire Niederberger (see Poetry)
Adaria Sarang
Katrina Sorrentino, 18, River Forest, IL
Deja Taylor
Amanda Torres (see Poetry)
Men As Allies
Chris Aque, 20, Chicago, IL
Adam Gottlieb, 17, Chicago, IL
Adam Gottlieb is a 17 year old senior at Northside College Prep who has been writing and performing slam poetry (among other styles) for 3 years. He has performed throughout venues in Chicago, New York, Milwaukee, and other scenes, hitting up slams and open mics wherever he an find them. He is, however, not a young woman, and was much surprised when an email from girlspeak informed him otherwise (he performed extensive checks on site to confirm his former convictions). He enjoys reading and long walks on the beach.