The Women’s Youth Writing Association (WYWA) is a youth-led organization dedicated to empowering young women through storytelling, leadership, and creative expression. Through mentorship, workshops, publishing opportunities, and community programs, we provide teens with the support, skills, and confidence to share their voices, explore their ideas, and create meaningful stories that reflect who they are and who they aspire to become.
Helping Young Women Find Their Voice Through Storytelling
Watch on Youtube Now!
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Watch on Youtube Now! ·
Beyond the Pages: A WYWA Documentary chronicles the journey of the Women's Youth Writing Association from a small high school writing club to an international youth-led organization. Through interviews with members, mentors, educators, and community partners, the film explores the power of storytelling, leadership, and community while highlighting the impact WYWA has had on young writers around the world. Produced over six months, the documentary celebrates the voices, experiences, and achievements of the next generation of changemakers.
Established 4 active high school chapters across San Francisco
Built a community of 100+ members globally
Raised over $23,000+ through grants, community fundraisers, and book sales
Achievements
From student writing to community impact, these milestones reflect the work we’ve built together.
On May 20th, 2025, WYWA made history at SFMOMA as the first youth-led, women-led organization to host a booth in the White Box, where we spoke to an audience of over 200 attendees about our debut anthology, Unfiltered: A Sisterhood of Stories.
2026 Winter Forum
WYWA hosted its first-ever 2026 Winter Forum at 826 Valencia, welcoming aspiring youth writers from across San Francisco to a five-hour event featuring author speakers Olga Zilberbourg and Leyla Brittan, who shared their experiences as published authors and offered insight into the writing and publishing process.
Programs
Learn more about what we offer.
For the Record is WYWA’s official podcast, created to spark thoughtful conversations around literature, women’s empowerment, and modern-day issues. Each episode explores books and authors—especially women whose writing has shaped culture, advanced representation, or achieved groundbreaking success. The podcast also features guest authors, youth leaders, and partner organizations who align with WYWA’s mission. Beyond literary analysis, we discuss the real challenges young women face today, from social media pressures to body image and identity. For the Record is available to listen to on Spotify. Follow us @wywapodcast
For the Record is WYWA’s official podcast, created to spark thoughtful conversations around literature, women’s empowerment, and modern-day issues. Each episode explores books and authors—especially women whose writing has shaped culture, advanced representation, or achieved groundbreaking success. The podcast also features guest authors, youth leaders, and partner organizations who align with WYWA’s mission. Beyond literary analysis, we discuss the real challenges young women face today, from social media pressures to body image and identity. For the Record is available to listen to on Spotify. Follow us @wywapodcast
For the Record is WYWA’s official podcast, created to spark thoughtful conversations around literature, women’s empowerment, and modern-day issues. Each episode explores books and authors—especially women whose writing has shaped culture, advanced representation, or achieved groundbreaking success. The podcast also features guest authors, youth leaders, and partner organizations who align with WYWA’s mission. Beyond literary analysis, we discuss the real challenges young women face today, from social media pressures to body image and identity. For the Record is available to listen to on Spotify. Follow us @wywapodcast
The WYWA Care Bag Campaign: In collaboration with Lowell Key Club, Lowell WYWA organized a service workshop where students assembled 35+ care bags filled with essential items and handwritten notes. The baskets were donated to a women’s domestic violence shelter in San Francisco, providing tangible support and care to survivors in our local community. We are deeply grateful to the Lowell Alumni Association (LAA) for their generous funding, which made this initiative possible and allowed us to turn compassion into action.
The WYWA Care Bag Campaign: Lowell SI organized a service workshop where 40+ students attended a presentation from La Casa De Las Madres’ Teen Program on domestic violence awareness. Following the workshop, students assembled 30+ care baskets filled with essential items and handwritten notes for survivors. In addition to the care packages, Lowell SI contributed an additional $5,000 donation to support the shelter’s ongoing work, turning education and compassion into meaningful community action.
The WYWA Author Mentorship Program is a three-month, one-on-one mentorship experience that pairs young writers with published authors to guide them through the process of developing and completing an original fictional novel. Designed for passionate youth ready to deepen their craft, the program offers weekly virtual sessions, personalized feedback, and professional guidance on storytelling, revision, and the publishing process. As a youth-led initiative, the program centers collaboration, creative confidence, and voice. Participants leave with a completed manuscript, a stronger sense of authorship, and a deeper understanding of what it takes to bring a story from idea to publication. Interested in becoming a mentee/author mentor? Contact us at writeherwywa@gmail.com