writer

Passing as White, Flaming as Arab: My Essay in the #Arab American Journal #Mizna

mizna

"You're Arab American?"
"Yep." I nod, knowing what they'll say next.
"I never would've guessed. You don't even look Arab."
"That's what people tell me," I say with a smile, shrugging my shoulders. Over the years, I've played with different responses, having heard this reaction innumerable times from both Arabs and non-Arabs...

My essay, “Passing as White, Flaming as Arab–Why Mixed-Heritage Arab American Women Writers Choose Not to Pass as White and Instead to Flame as Arab,” has been published in the latest issue of Mizna! (Click on the title to read the essay in PDF. Visit mizna.org to buy your own copy of the amazing issue.)

Special thanks to Amira Jarmakani, Diana Abu-Jaber, Leila Buck, Lisa Suhair Majaj and Naomi Shihab Nye, who contributed their personal experiences and brilliant ideas.

By Popular Demand–A Clip of Me Reading from My Memoir

Take a look at me reading from my thesis, a memoir-in-progress, that tells the story about a 30-something woman (me) who gets married assuming she’ll have kids, but then considers living childfree. To grapple with her decision, she writes letters to the child she has not conceived. Since my husband is named Bear, I call this project “Dear Cub.” This snippet is a tribute to Bear’s grandmother, Tita.

Filmed at the University of Southern California in May 2015.

I’m Speaking at the #MixedRemixed Festival on Sat June 13!

Mixed Remixed Im Speaking

I’m honored to have been chosen to be part of the panel entitled, “Writing the Mixed Experience Professionally.” I’ll do my best to represent as a mixed-heritage Arab American writer!  Come join in on the fun!

Check out the website and register by clicking here.

Day and Time: June 13, 2015 from 10AM to 5:30PM — My panel’s from 11AM to 12:20PM.

Place: The Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo at 100 N Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Hope to see you there!