Our Story. Our Purpose. Our Commitment to Boys.
Our Story. Our Purpose. Our Commitment to Boys.
Our Mission
To build essential communication and literacy skills in boys, improve their emotional well-being, and help them thrive as confident, empathetic leaders.
Our Values
Confident Leadership
We provide project-based activities that build essential communication skills, empowering boys to lead with confidence in their schools and communities.
Emotional Maturity
Our mentors and teachers use Social-Emotional Learning curriculum to create a supportive environment where boys build emotional awareness, resilience, and lasting well-being.
Love for Literacy
We foster a love for reading and confidence in writing, giving boys space to express themselves clearly and connect with others.
Vision Statement
We envision a future where boys thrive as learners, feel confident expressing themselves, and are deeply connected to their communities. Reading and writing will no longer be seen as boring, embarrassing, or “not for boys,” but as powerful tools for creativity and connection. Schools will prioritize environments and curricula that support boys’ academic and emotional development. As a result, literacy rates will increase, rigid narratives around masculinity will be replaced with empathy and self-awareness, and generations of young men will be equipped with effective communication skills.
How We Began
Boys Who Write was founded in 2023 to address a fundamental problem: young men are losing their ability to communicate in healthy, meaningful ways. Across a wide body of research, statistics overwhelmingly demonstrate that boys urgently need more meaningful, targeted support in literacy and personal growth. Too often, traditional instruction fails to reflect boys’ interests, identities, and lived experiences – leading to disengagement from reading, writing, and self-expression.
As a parent, our founder also saw how differently her daughter and son learned to read. While her daughter thrived with quiet, traditional methods, her son needed movement, creativity, and play. Though he entered middle school as an avid reader and writer, it was difficult to find spaces where boys were encouraged to engage with the humanities or form deeper emotional connections.
Over time, her son shared how his friendships often lacked the emotional depth he saw in his sister’s, leaving him feeling isolated. These experiences, reinforced by national research on boys’ academic disengagement and mental health, became the catalyst for Boys Who Write.
We address these gaps by reimagining literacy as a tool for confidence, connection, and communication. We are one of the first early solution-based nonprofit efforts intentionally designed to meet boys where their interests are.
Our Approach
Why Boys
Boys are disciplined more often, drop out at higher rates, and are less likely to ask for help when they need it. Many in-school programs aren’t built with these emerging needs in mind. So we built something they’d actually want to show up for.
SEL Through Creation
We don’t run a “feelings” module. Instead, the creative work is the SEL work. Writing a song about power, designing and sharing games, making a podcast with friends. The skills come from the practice.
How We Think About Men & Boys
We ask boys about their experiences and let the conversation do the work. Our perspectives are rooted in interactionist perspectives, with a focus on social creation of self. This framing ensures our curriculum is culturally reactive, asking students to reflect instead of prescribing a “correct” masculinity.
Discussion + Creation → Publication
Every cohort follows the same arc. Guided discussions where boys name pressures, share experiences, and interface with social expectations. That becomes material for our creative projects – albums, games, books, podcasts – published for real audiences.
We’ve appeared in
Boys Are Falling Behind and We Can't Ignore It
Content Card Academic Disengagement
Boys are less likely to engage with reading and writing compared to their female peers.
Academic Disengagement
Boys are less likely to engage with reading and writing compared to their female peers.
Higher Risk
Boys are three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and face behavioral challenges.
Social Isolation
Nearly half of young men report feeling lonely or lacking close friendships.