Published Writing
HUFFINGTON POST
Ascia Sahar: How a Social Media Influencer Uses Writing to Inspire
Scrolling through her Instagram feed, you’ll find her casually walking through a bazaar in Marrakech, in a white, flowy kaftan dress. Her caption reads: “Those who know how to reach deep within you, to help you mend your broken pieces, know so, because they’ve been broken before too.”
Noura Ballout: Co-Owner of Detroit-based Coffee Shop on Identity, Safe Spaces, and Storytelling
“When I was younger, I wouldn’t exist until coffee was in my mom’s mouth,” Ballout said. “Coffee is so important to me and such a deep part of who I am.”
Noura Ballout is the co-owner of The Bottom Line Coffee House in Detroit, MI. Ballout was born in Beirut, Lebanon and moved to the United States at the age of nine with their family. As a teenager, the young entrepreneur worked at a local Starbucks, but while they loved making coffee, they didn’t enjoy working for a large company. At the same time, Ballout was invested in creating inclusionary, intersectional spaces for all individuals.
Whose World is This: Documenting the Immigrant Experience
In March 2016, Sacramento-based storyteller, author and creative director of Sol Collective, Salvin Chahal and soundscape creator Simarpreet Singh (Wisechild) curated a photography exhibition inspired by song, “The World Is Yours” by Nas. This exhibition allowed individuals to explore various global issues, such as the unreal pressures and expectations on South Asian women surrounding marriage, damaging words men hear throughout their life that promote patriarchy, body hair shaming across different cultures, untold immigrant narratives, timelessness through love, and more, through images and installations created by the photographers.
Isra Al-Thibeh: Afro-Palestinian Poet on the Power of Writing
You can find her tucked into a cozy chair as she winds down after a long day — arms gently rested on her desk, pen and paper in hand, and a glass of water to her right. Although she is now 24 years old, Isra Al-thibeh has been writing for as long as she can remember.
Street Artist UnCasso on the Universal Language of Love
Street artists unmask the tape covering mouths of passersby, splashing their thoughts onto the bleak walls of city streets. Creating masterpieces through experiences, observation, and reflection, they speak to the hearts of strangers in the midst of day-to-day city chaos.
Anonymous street artist, UnCasso, is one of these few. His arms are tattooed with the works of Banksy, Dali, and Basquiat — fellow artists who have shared the same mindset as his — of creating art that is changing the world.