The (He)art of a Daughter of Diaspora.
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My debut book “Hajeetek Majeetek: My Grandmother’s North African Folktales” is out!
Latest Updates
January 2025: I started my second year with the Muslim writer’s group, House of Amal. We meet every week to submit our written work and give turns critiquing. It’s been an exellent way of developing my skills as a writer and cultivating a community of Muslim writers.
September 2024: Celebrated the one year anniversary of Hajeetek Majeetek in my current hometown Denver, Colorado! It was a beautiful night of storytelling and community. A perfect way to end one year of becoming a first-time author.
June 2024: I recently visited Morocco and had an amazing time seeing my family. Last minute I decided to pack one of my suitcases with 60 books and managed to secure a book event at a school in Rabat, the capital of Morocco. The Hajeetek Majeetek book tour had officially gone international!
May 2024: I officially went on tour! It was an incredible journey through Texas, Colorado, and North Carolina where I had the privilege of connecting with diverse audiences who resonated with my grandmother's folktales. From engaging storytelling workshops to intimate book events, this tour was a celebration of cultural heritage and the power of storytelling. Thank you to everyone who made it unforgettable!
December 2023: I recently visited my family in Morocco. It’s been a wonderful trip and my husband finally got to meet my family there, including my maternal grandparents. We visited the Sahara desert for the first time and explored new and familiar cities.
October 1, 2023: After a 6 year journey, I finally published my first book, “Hajeetek Majeetek: My Grandmother’s North African Folktales”. Stay tuned for a book tour announcement. Buy your copy here!
Alhamdullilah (praise be to God), Rayan and I were wed on March 15, 2019, in Tampa, Florida. I want to share what our take on an intimate, Pinterest-inspired wedding can look like between two Muslims of Moroccan and Kurdish descent. Let’s begin.
I want to share with you the things that shaped me as a child- the sources of inspiration and nostalgia that influenced my art over the years. Here is a reflection of my journey.
I wanted to create a series of portraits featuring my old paintings, but recreated on models through face-paint (thus literally bringing my paintings to life). And so, I hit up my talented photographer friend, Vi Hunyh, and we began our first collaborated project.
I missed the sound of my grandmother’s voice, so I called her one day to catch up.
“Tell me a story, mi-la-la,” I ask on the phone. My grandmother was amused to hear me ask this. Nonetheless, she began the tale…
The creative process can be either smooth or chaotic (guess which one always happens for me). Regardless, it is always rewarding. Follow along as I show you the the steps I go through to create an illustration.
When I was a kid, I didn’t know much about quality art supplies. The most expensive tools I used in my middle school years were Crayola supplies and sharpie markers. I look at my humble collection of art supplies now and realize that I’ve come a long way.
And so, here’s a breakdown of the tools I currently use.
I like to tell visual stories- simple or complex. Personally, I think art can connect with people in ways that nothing else can. Art can change the world. That thought is what keeps me going.