Hello! My name is Asyl Ospan, a 17-year-old writer from Almaty, Kazakhstan.
A few weeks ago, I opened an email informing me that I had been selected as one of the twelve recipients of the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers
for my debut short story “Girl Name that Starts with B” (see the notification and my reaction in the attached media!)
I am invited to receive the award at the PEN America Literary Awards on March 31st at Town Hall in New York City — one of the most important literary award ceremonies in the world.
I have a valid US tourist visa and determination to attend. However, I can’t afford this trip without your help.
My Story
I’ve been in love with stories ever since I can remember, but it wasn’t until last year that I began to understand and fulfill my literary mission. As a Central Asian girl, I felt quite invisible in the media, and writing universal, human Central Asian stories became a way to build a bridge — inward, to understand myself, and outward, writing my community into visibility. My winning story follows a Kazakh student in the US as she learns to navigate relationships shaped by bias and claim her own sense of self-definition.
Why This Matters
Attending the awards is a chance to connect with the industry’s best writers, editors, agents, and publishers—an extraordinary and rare opportunity for a young Central Asian writer.
Your support wouldn’t just help me attend a ceremony — it would be an investment into authorship from within places and communities that often go unheard.
Why I Need Help
My single parent is currently unemployed, and most of our savings were spent supporting my education at Interlochen Arts Acadmey. Because of that, a last-minute international trip to New York is something we just can’t manage right now.
A round-trip, refundable flight alone costs $2,500, and additional expenses add up quickly.
If I’m able to make it to New York, I’ll share on my TikTok @asyl_ospan:
photos from the event
vlogs from the trip on my TikTok account
reflections on the experience
updates on the novel I’m currently developing
If you’re able to donate, share, or simply spread the word, it would mean more to me than I can express.