Shia Islam is a minority sect in Islam that follows the teachings of Prophet Muhammed (SAW) and his blood-line descendants. We make up about 10-15% of all Muslims world wide.

Refugees are people who are forcibly displaced from their homes. They must go through a lengthy process to gain “refugee” status. Refugees share many immigrant experiences, but they specifically face their own barriers and struggles, as their migration story is connected to life or death situations. They often struggle with trauma, poverty, barriers to education, health needs, and more. The goal of my work is demonstrate the nuances of refugee diaspora experiences.

I earned a creative writing degree in my undergrad but I’d argue my worst writing took place there. However, it taught me how to be a critical thinker of stories and showed me what kind of writer I could become!

My “real” writing was learned through independent trial and error, many, many drafts, and writing friends who cheered and critiqued along the way.

They say two matchas a day keeps the doctor away or something like that.

I am not a fan of reading craft books because it feels too technical for me, so I’m a hardcore observer of writing instead! Reading works by authors of color have been foundational in guiding me on my own path.

Some favorite authors include Sabaa Tahir, Tommy Orange, Megha Majumdar, Fatima Mirza, Sahar Mustafa, Toni Morrison, and many, many more!

I love to write all types of books across genre and age category—but my heart is usually tied to contemporary work.

My debut novel is a contemporary YA, but I also write YA murder mystery, adult romance, romantic murder mystery thrillers, and many more genres too!

SWANApit has officially been moved over to QuillersSWANA. Our pitch event will resume May 2025, but we have exciting mentorships opportunities coming Fall 2024.