2019 PEN America Women: New Work

Some PEN Women with guests Jennifer Clement, President of PEN International and author Maaza Mengiste. Photo by Sara Fruner.

Join biographer Jan Castro and the writers of PEN Women for their annual Readings and Reception event. PEN Women is a peer group that provides opportunities for those who self-identify as women writers to share their work in all genres.

PEN Women was created by original members of PEN Women’s Literary Workshop, founded by Ilsa Gilbert 27 years ago as PEN’s first ever women writers group.

The November 14 event opens with a reception and features group members reading original work, an open mic, and tributes to founder Ilsa Gilbert and longtime member and organizer Rosalie Calabrese, who died in 2019. All genders are welcome to join in this celebration. If you wish to participate in the open mic, please email [email protected] in advance and bring a short (1/2–1 page) original work to share.