Co-presented by the Radius of Arab American Writers (RAWI). Established in 1993, RAWI is a national organization that provides mentoring, 
community, and support for Arab American writers and those with roots in the Arabic speaking world and diaspora. They are a non-profit 501(c)(3) literary organization dedicated to supporting and disseminating creative writing and scholarly writing by Arab/SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) Americans and those from the Arabic speaking world–which often means creating space and highlighting voices and people threatened by erasure. They put on readings, panels, workshops, roundtables, conferences, and festivals that emphasize inclusivity.
This event is curated with the assistance of Summer Farah & Priscilla Wathington.
Live from Selva in Brooklyn, NY! Featuring readings by:
NOUR AL GHRAOWI
Nour Al Ghraowi is a Syrian poet, writer, activist, and educator born and raised in Damascus and based in Brooklyn, New York. She received a BA in English Literature at The University of Texas at Austin and an MFA in poetry at Texas State University. She currently works as a Donor Relations and Communication Specialist at Karam Foundation and is a 2023 Define American Fellow. Her poetry and essays have appeared in Poetry Magazine, Dame Magazine, Mizna Literary Journal, Porter House Review, World Literature Today, and others.
Nour writes in the hope of changing the Western view of the Middle East and the Arabic language, which is often viewed as inimical. She also writes about Social Justice, migrant identity, and what it means to be an immigrant in an unwelcome place. Finally, she writes about feminism and what it means to be a feminist Middle Eastern woman.
LARA ATALLAH
Lara Atallah is a multidisciplinary artist and writer. Her work has been exhibited in the US and internationally and is part of the NYU Langone Collection and the Met Museum, among others. Her writing has appeared in Artforum, Camera Austria, Flash Art Italia, Split This Rock, Koukash, 128Lit, among others. She is the author of Edge of Elysium, Vol.1 (Open Projects Press, 2019) and Exit signs on a seaside highway (Everybody Press, 2023)
HENA MUSTAFA
Hena Mustafa (she/her) is a first-generation Palestinian-American lesbian writer currently residing in Queens. As a poet and filmmaker, she uses words to create the homeland she craves. Her artistic medium is an attempt to visualize revolution and build characters inspired by the diaspora. Her academic background in forensic psychology and philosophy informs much of her musings. Hena works as a television writer and content developer in Atlanta and New York City. As the co-founder and creative director of BOYFRIEND co-op, an up-and-coming queer cafe/bar in Brooklyn, Hena fosters a hub for artistic connections and radical organizing within the SWANA community. Additionally, she makes up half of the filmmaking duo DEM Productions. Hena’s writing aesthetic is sensual, textured, and raw. Her work is described as "leaving the taste of blood in your mouth."
Co-presented by the Radius of Arab American Writers (RAWI). Established in 1993, RAWI is a national organization that provides mentoring, community, and support for Arab American writers and those with roots in the Arabic speaking world and diaspora. They are a non-profit 501(c)(3) literary organization dedicated to supporting and disseminating creative writing and scholarly writing by Arab/SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) Americans and those from the Arabic speaking world–which often means creating space and highlighting voices and people threatened by erasure. They put on readings, panels, workshops, roundtables, conferences, and festivals that emphasize inclusivity.
This event is curated with the assistance of Summer Farah & Priscilla Wathington.
Live from Selva in Brooklyn, NY! Featuring readings by:
NOUR AL GHRAOWI
Nour Al Ghraowi is a Syrian poet, writer, activist, and educator born and raised in Damascus and based in Brooklyn, New York. She received a BA in English Literature at The University of Texas at Austin and an MFA in poetry at Texas State University. She currently works as a Donor Relations and Communication Specialist at Karam Foundation and is a 2023 Define American Fellow. Her poetry and essays have appeared in Poetry Magazine, Dame Magazine, Mizna Literary Journal, Porter House Review, World Literature Today, and others.
Nour writes in the hope of changing the Western view of the Middle East and the Arabic language, which is often viewed as inimical. She also writes about Social Justice, migrant identity, and what it means to be an immigrant in an unwelcome place. Finally, she writes about feminism and what it means to be a feminist Middle Eastern woman.
LARA ATALLAH
Lara Atallah is a multidisciplinary artist and writer. Her work has been exhibited in the US and internationally and is part of the NYU Langone Collection and the Met Museum, among others. Her writing has appeared in Artforum, Camera Austria, Flash Art Italia, Split This Rock, Koukash, 128Lit, among others. She is the author of Edge of Elysium, Vol.1 (Open Projects Press, 2019) and Exit signs on a seaside highway (Everybody Press, 2023)
HENA MUSTAFA
Hena Mustafa (she/her) is a first-generation Palestinian-American lesbian writer currently residing in Queens. As a poet and filmmaker, she uses words to create the homeland she craves. Her artistic medium is an attempt to visualize revolution and build characters inspired by the diaspora. Her academic background in forensic psychology and philosophy informs much of her musings. Hena works as a television writer and content developer in Atlanta and New York City. As the co-founder and creative director of BOYFRIEND co-op, an up-and-coming queer cafe/bar in Brooklyn, Hena fosters a hub for artistic connections and radical organizing within the SWANA community. Additionally, she makes up half of the filmmaking duo DEM Productions. Hena’s writing aesthetic is sensual, textured, and raw. Her work is described as "leaving the taste of blood in your mouth."