About Us

The Center for New Words is dedicated to a simple mission:

To use the power and creativity of words to strengthen the voice of progressive women and women speaking from the margins of society.

CNW programs support diverse communities of women as we engage with the written and spoken word in all of its expressions, from reading to blogging to creative writing to theater and performance to opinion-making in the media.

We welcome everyone who believes in the power of women’s words to come to our events and participate in our programs. Everyone is welcome, regardless of age, gender, class, race, ethnicity, religion or sexuality. We especially welcome those of us whose voices are often silenced or ignored, including women of color, poor and working class women, women with disabilities, lesbians, bisexual women, genderqueers, and transpeople (both MTF and FTM).

Built on 28 years of experience running New Words Bookstore, the Center for New Words nurtures women’s culture, confidence, and public voice. Together with you, our friends and supporters, CNW is working to make the spaces and places where women’s words matter a much larger part of everyone’s world.