PEN/Faulkner and GWU’s Institute for Middle East Studies presented Finding Home, which delved into the intricacies of Arab American identity through the individual experiences of some of today’s most celebrated literary voices.

Notable Buzzfeed reporter Hannah Allam sat down with Osama Alomar, Susan Darraj, and Laila Halaby to discuss what “Finding Home” looks like for an Arab American, especially in today’s political climate.

DATE | November 27, 2018 at 7:00 PM
LOCATION | Jack Morton Auditorium, 805 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052

“My home is a freedom, a human dignity, a human rights, equality. This is my home.” – Osama Alomar

“If I can tell your story, I control it. If I let you tell it, who knows how it’s going to turn out? I think at the root of it is the power issue.” – Laila Halaby

“The title of my book, A Curious Land, is actually a quote from W.E.B Du Bois in The Souls of Black Folk… “What a curious land is this. It’s filled with untold tragic stories.” That’s how I’ve always thought about Palestine. If people could just know what Palestine is really like, it’s more than just a headline in the New York Times or on CNN. It’s so much more than that. There’s so many love stories and dramas and beautiful things.” – Susan Darraj