MEET OUR
Founder
KAYLEN
Kaylen Ralph is a writer, publicist, and founder of Ladies Who Lit. She does PR for small arts organizations and creative entrepreneurs. In 2013, she co-founded The Riveter, a national longform women’s magazine—by women, for everyone—that was in print and online circulation until 2018. She founded Ladies Who Lit in 2019.
Kaylen has always been passionate about amplifying women’s voices and creating space for meaningful conversations around their experiences. Ladies Who Lit is the manifestation of her passions: books, art, and cultural experiences that spark dialogue and connection.
OUR STORY
I technically “started” LWL in 2019 as a book club for my friends (and friends of friends). I had just gone through a breakup, and I decided to prove to myself that I was a strong, independent woman by building an IKEA bookshelf that had been sitting in its box on my living room floor for weeks, if not months.
I built the bookshelf, felt really proud of myself, and then filled it with the PILES of books that were balanced precariously all over my apartment.
Once they were all shelved, I realized that I could keep being sad, or I could dive into my lengthy and newly organized TBR pile. I’ve always been passionate about women’s stories. In 2013, as a senior in college, I co-founded The Riveter Magazine, a longform women’s lifestyle magazine that featured originally reported longform journalism and essays by women. We also had a robust books department.
I posted a picture of my new (filled) bookshelf to Instagram and asked who wanted to join my book club. I was blown away by the response, and in the interest of having a productive, creartive outlet, I dove into planning and curating elevated book club discussions for a small group of women who reached out. It was such a cathartic and healing endeavor for me at the time. Throughout that first year (2019), I hosted a few themed event discussions, and then in January 2020, I was invited to host a Ladies Who Lit event at The Hoxton. This really brought new audiences to the club, but with the timing of the event and the ensuant worldwide COVID epidemic, it was the last event I hosted until February 2022. The resurgence of LWL at that time looked much like the first year, I hosted events for friends and friends of friends, but I also started a dedicated Instagram for LWL, and with each event, more and more newbies started attending. In 2024, I collaborated with The Hoxton again for a quarterly event series, and that partnership and support really broadened the reach of the club.
In January of 2025, I launched a formal membership model to better support and improve the community that LWL has become. We are still a book club, but beyond that, LWL has become a place where women can come together to celebrate the stories we read while also diving deep on current events and culture, politics, women’s issues and more, all through the lens of literature by women. I'm so grateful for the women who are a part of this community.
XOXO
Kaylen
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BRIE
MEET OUR
Visual Brand Manager
"At its core, Ladies Who Lit is a club for everyone, but it is inspired by and reflective of the modern busy woman. I have had the pleasure of getting know the women of LWL and I am impressed and inspired by their thoughtfulness, fashionability, and versatility. I wanted to represent not only Kaylen but the women who attend her events.
With a bold, editorial approach to branding, LWL draws from the worlds of fashion, art, and timeless design. Its visual identity blends the tactile charm of vintage libraries and private literary clubs with a contemporary edge, embracing a physicality that mirrors the sensory depth of its events. "
Brie Hines is the creative force behind the branding for Ladies Who Lit. From event photography and web design to bespoke event branding, she specializes in crafting visually cohesive identities that reflect the essence of this women-led book club and its collaborators. With a keen eye for storytelling and design, Brie ensures that every touchpoint—from digital presence to in-person experiences—captures the spirit of literary community and empowerment.
When Brie isn't partnering with Kaylen for Ladies Who Lit's next big event, she is running her painting business, The Brie Show—a hyper-feminine exploration of storytelling through art.