Zora Neale Hurston, Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, and Isabel Allende are some female authors you may have already heard of. This Women’s History Month, Girl Up is shining a light on girl authors who are #MakingHERstory right now.
From writing about girls in STEM, to teen activism, to simply surviving middle school, here is a list of Girl Up leaders, Advisory Board members, and people in the Girl Up community whose books you should look up STAT.
Chanice Lee, Young Revolutionary: The Teen’s Guide to Activism
Girl Up Teen Advisor (2017-2018)
Girl Up Teen Advisor Alumna Chanice Lee was featured in the Root as a “Young Futurist” for her work as a youth activist. Her book Young Revolutionary: The Teen’s Guide to Activism gives young people the tools they need to tap into their voice and put their activism into practice.
“I am a strong believer in being the change I wish to see in the world,” she says. “So that is what I aim to do on a daily basis in this lifetime.”
Nadya Okamoto, Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement
Girl Up Club Leader
Nadya is the Founder and Executive Director of PERIOD, an organization she founded at the age of 16 — while also co-leading her high school’s Girl Up chapter. PERIOD is now the largest youth-run NGO in women’s health, and one of the fastest growing ones here in the United States.
Since 2014, they have addressed over 400,000 periods and registered over 230 campus chapters. Nadya recently published her debut book, Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement with publisher Simon & Schuster, which made the Kirkus Reviews list for Best Young Adult Nonfiction of 2018.
Most recently, Nadya has become the Chief Brand Officer of JUV Consulting, a Generation Z marketing agency based in NYC. Most recently Nadya was named to InStyle Magazine’s “The Badass 50: Meet the Women Who Are Changing the World” list, along with Michelle Obama, Ariana Grande, and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.
Aryelle Jacobsen, A is for Awkward: A Guide to Surviving Middle School
Girl Up Club Vice President
Girl Up Reynolds Vice President, Aryelle Jacobsen, published her first book as a rising senior. A Is for Awkward is full of ‘real world advice,’ and is aimed at teens and encourages healthy self-esteem. Original artwork by members of the Girl Up Reynolds Club gives the book added whimsy and meaning. Aryelle hopes the book will encourage younger students and help them develop an attitude of optimism and gratitude.
Ashley Stenzel, The ABCs of Women in STEM
Girl Up Parent and Community Leader
Ashley is the mother of two girls in Girl Up, and is getting her Ph.D. in cancer science. Her book was written for people of all ages, and introduces its readers to over 100 women who hold many different roles in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
“I wrote this book because I have experienced gender discrimination, and have heard stories of many other women being harassed in STEM. My hope is that creating more resources like this will allow both boys and girls to see how much value women are bringing to STEM fields. Girls should see that it is important that not only STEM education, but potential future jobs are equally available and supportive to women as they are to men.”
The proceeds of this book benefit a scholarship for women in STEM.
Aisling Finegan, ROSE: Based on a True Story
Girl Up Leader
“Thanks to Girl Up, I’ve gained the confidence and determination to do what I’ve always wanted to do, despite my age, gender and lack of resources.” Aisling is a Girl Up Club member from Ireland who wrote and published her first novel last year. It’s based on the life of her great-aunt, Rose, who worked three jobs in the 1950s in order to provide for her daughters were taken care of.
“Girl Up helped me to believe in myself,” says Aisling. “I want to help other girls follow their dreams too. I also hope I can inspire them, because being a young female should always be celebrated and so should everything we accomplish!”
Julie Carrier, Girls Lead: Extraordinary Girls Share How You Can Stand Up, Step Out and Lead in All Areas of Your Life
Girl Up Advisory Board Member
Julie is an award-winning speaker for events and girls’ schools and programs. She has reached over a million girls and those who care about them world-wide. Girls Lead is part of a movement to “empower those who empower girls and empower girls to empower each other.” Her first book, BeYOUtiful, was an award-winning book on mind/body/self-esteem for girls.
John Gerzema, The Athena Doctrine: How Women (and the Men Who Think Like Them) Will Rule the Future
Girl Up Advisory Board Member
John studies leadership, innovation and social responsibility. As a member of the Advisory Board for Girl Up, his book The Athena Doctrine explores the rise of feminine competencies and their impact on leadership, policy and progress. Tom Peters says, “The Athena Doctrine is a powerful book. Extraordinary research. Great storytelling. A message both timely and of monumental importance.” All proceeds of the book support Girl Up.
Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and Other Lies: Amazing Women on What the F-Word Means to Them
Curated by Scarlett Curtis, with contributions by Girl Up Leaders:
- Chimwemwe Chiweza
- Tapiwa Maoni
- Lauren Woodhouse-Laskonis
- Maryam and Nivaal Rehman
Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and Other Lies is a collection of writing from extraordinary women, from famous actresses to teen activists, each telling the story of her relationship with feminism. The funny, surprising, and inspiring book aims to bridge the gap between the feminist hashtag and the scholarly text by giving women the space to explain how they actually feel about feminism.
Feminists Don’t Wear Pink was published in partnership with Girl Up, and can be found here.
