Читать книгу Generation F - Girls Write Now - Страница 23

NAZERKE AKILOVA

YEARS AS MENTEE: 1

GRADE: Senior

HIGH SCHOOL: International High School at Lafayette

BORN: Almaty, Kazakhstan

LIVES: Brooklyn, NY

PUBLICATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS: Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Silver Key

MENTEE’S ANECDOTE: At a cozy coffee shop, Leslie and I started discussing my personal statement for college applications. It was a rainy and miserable day. Anxiety triggered me every time I looked at the 1,000-word essay. The more we sat there, sipping our tea, the easier it was for me to confidently share my thoughts. Not only did Leslie pave a path toward an effective personal statement, she listened, empathized, and helped me polish emotionally raw ideas into a beautiful and solid piece of writing. This day was an integral part of realizing how soulful and sincere my mentor is.

LESLIE PARISEAU

YEARS AS MENTOR: 1

OCCUPATION: Writer/Editor

BORN: Findlay, OH

LIVES: Brooklyn, NY

PUBLICATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS: The New York Times, Saveur, PUNCH, New York magazine, SPRITZ (2016); 2017 James Beard nominee; 2014 Forbes 30 Under 30

MENTOR’S ANECDOTE: On a cold, rainy fall day, Naze and I got to talking about her college essay. We were looking for a solution to writing the essay in a way that might tick college admissions’ boxes while communicating the breadth of her personal journey—and letting her creativity sing. Eventually, I saw Naze recognize how it could come together without sacrificing the passion she’d woven into the piece. Fast-forward several months, and she’s got her pick of colleges, no doubt in part because she’s a killer writer who can make the world listen to what she has to say.