Episode 10. The Ripple Effect of Creative Mentorship with Keren Taylor
“Writing is a solitary act, but when you bring it into a community and use the community to help inspire each other and to help support each other, your own solo voice then has almost like more of a grounding around it. You know, kind of like a flower alone is just a flower, but if you put it in a vase with all the other the branches and the different colors, and a different setting, and a different background, well now, you’re giving that flower a place to really live.”
In today’s episode, Suzanne talks to WriteGirl Founder Keren Taylor, who talks about WriteGirl’s mission to mentor girls and gender-expansive teens to express themselves through writing. And how these young women’s self-expression creates impactful changes in their lives and in the world.
About Our Guest:
WriteGirl Executive Director, Keren Taylor, founded WriteGirl in 2001. An afterschool program director and trainer for more than 25 years, Keren has led WriteGirl’s expansion into a thriving community that helps hundreds of youth annually. In 2013, WriteGirl received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, the highest national honor awarded to exemplary after-school programs. Under Keren’s direction, WriteGirl has published 38 award-winning anthologies of youth writing, and in 2020, Keren received the Los Angeles Times Innovator’s Award, “spotlighting efforts to bring books, publishing and storytelling into the future.” Keren is a 2014 CNN Hero and has received the Humanitas Prize, the President's Volunteer Call to Service Award and commendations from the Los Angeles mayor’s office. WriteGirl is a founding member organization of the Arts for Healing and Justice Network (formerly Arts for Incarcerated Youth Network) for which Keren has served as a board member. Keren holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from the University of British Columbia, a Piano Performance Degree from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, and a Diploma from the American Music and Dramatic Academy, NYC.
Learn more about WriteGirl | writegirl.org
Follow WriteGirl on Twitter and Instagram | @WriteGirlLA
On Facebook | Facebook.com/WriteGirlOrganization
Follow Keren: Twitter: @kerentaylor | Instagram: @kerentay |Facebook: facebook.com/kerentaylor1111
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify