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| Abi-Nader Elmaz ألماظة أبي نادر Writer and Poet كاتبة وشاعرة |
ELMAZ ABINADER makes no secret of her concerns as a
writer and an activist. Much of her focus comes from growing up Arab-american,
from coming from a part of the country that lacks diversity and from developing
political and moral values consistent with ideas of compassion, equity and
respect for the earth.
Elmaz's books, Children of the Roojme, a Family's Journey from Lebanon,
and In the Country of my Dreams...., as well as her play, Country of Origin
illustrate personal lives of Arabs and Arab Americans negotiating hostile terrain,
cultural polarities, and geographic and social displacement. Her other works, 32
Mohammed, Ramadan Moon, The Torture Quartet and Messages from the Siege
provide an articulation of the effect of political actions on personal lives both here
and in the Middle East. The Oregon Drama Critics cited Country of Origin for
its excellence by awarding two Drammies to the play and to the composer of the
music, Tony Khalife. Other awards include a PEN Award for In the Country of My
Dreams... and a Goldies Award for Literature.
Elmaz has also been a Fulbright Senior Fellow to Egypt and a winner
of several residencies. Children of the Roojme was the first memoir
about Arab-Americans published by a trade publisher in the U.S....
Her upcoming work County of Origin is a two-part memoir that draws from elmaz's
childhood experiences growing up in a all-white Appalachian coal mining
community and her subsequent journeys to the middle East, Lebanon and many of
the countries in the Gulf and North Africa. Each story describes an encounter with
the shaky concept of identity and cultural relationship
Her writing comes from a tradition in her culture and family to tell stories, create
poetry and fill the house with music as a way of communicating the significant
moments of a life, a family and a village. After receiving her MFA in poetry from
Columbia University, she worked in advertising, then supplemented it with
teaching in various schools throughout New York. Later, she was awarded her
PHD from the University of Nebraska where her dissertation was built around the
source materials for Children of the Roojme. Elmaz won a post doctoral
fellowship, The Schweitzer Post-doctoral Fellowship in the Humanities, which gave
her the opportunity to work with Toni Morrison for two years developing her first
book.
Now a professor at Mills College, Elmaz's primary concern is giving voice to other
writers of color. Her participation in VONA allows her the opportunity to make a
difference in the growth of the cannon of literature of color.
In addition, Elmaz is a fitness instructor at the YMCA in Oakland CA where she
lives with her husband Anthony Byers.
writer and an activist. Much of her focus comes from growing up Arab-american,
from coming from a part of the country that lacks diversity and from developing
political and moral values consistent with ideas of compassion, equity and
respect for the earth.
Elmaz's books, Children of the Roojme, a Family's Journey from Lebanon,
and In the Country of my Dreams...., as well as her play, Country of Origin
illustrate personal lives of Arabs and Arab Americans negotiating hostile terrain,
cultural polarities, and geographic and social displacement. Her other works, 32
Mohammed, Ramadan Moon, The Torture Quartet and Messages from the Siege
provide an articulation of the effect of political actions on personal lives both here
and in the Middle East. The Oregon Drama Critics cited Country of Origin for
its excellence by awarding two Drammies to the play and to the composer of the
music, Tony Khalife. Other awards include a PEN Award for In the Country of My
Dreams... and a Goldies Award for Literature.
Elmaz has also been a Fulbright Senior Fellow to Egypt and a winner
of several residencies. Children of the Roojme was the first memoir
about Arab-Americans published by a trade publisher in the U.S....
Her upcoming work County of Origin is a two-part memoir that draws from elmaz's
childhood experiences growing up in a all-white Appalachian coal mining
community and her subsequent journeys to the middle East, Lebanon and many of
the countries in the Gulf and North Africa. Each story describes an encounter with
the shaky concept of identity and cultural relationship
Her writing comes from a tradition in her culture and family to tell stories, create
poetry and fill the house with music as a way of communicating the significant
moments of a life, a family and a village. After receiving her MFA in poetry from
Columbia University, she worked in advertising, then supplemented it with
teaching in various schools throughout New York. Later, she was awarded her
PHD from the University of Nebraska where her dissertation was built around the
source materials for Children of the Roojme. Elmaz won a post doctoral
fellowship, The Schweitzer Post-doctoral Fellowship in the Humanities, which gave
her the opportunity to work with Toni Morrison for two years developing her first
book.
Now a professor at Mills College, Elmaz's primary concern is giving voice to other
writers of color. Her participation in VONA allows her the opportunity to make a
difference in the growth of the cannon of literature of color.
In addition, Elmaz is a fitness instructor at the YMCA in Oakland CA where she
lives with her husband Anthony Byers.
