DEARBORN – the Arab American National Museum will present its 13th annual Arab American Book Awards at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at the museum, 13624 Michigan Ave.
Admission is free; for reservations, go to bit.ly/aabookawards.
The award ceremony, honoring literary contributions by and about Arab Americans, will celebrate the winning books and give guests the opportunity to purchase and have them signed by the authors in attendance.
“Showcasing Arab American literature and writing through the Arab American Book Awards is another way that AANM celebrates Arab American stories told in the voices of those who write and live them,” AANM Director Diana said. “Each story is different, and together these stories – whether they be in the form of a novel, a poem or even oral history – reflects the variety and diversity of Arab American experiences and perspectives.”
This literary competition is one of the museum’s programs that highlight the achievements and contributions of Arab Americans and help build community through the arts. Awards are given in the categories of Children & Young Adult, Non-fiction, Fiction and Poetry.
“Arab American writers have long been an indelible part of the American literary landscape, and their works have received both national and international acclaim,” Abouali said. “The Book Awards also recognizes scholarly publishing in fields ranging from psychology to political science and everything in between. It is a way for us to express gratitude and acknowledge the exceptional creativity and scholarly contributions of members of our community.”
The winning authors attending the ceremony are Ramon J. Stern (The Evelyn Shakir Non-fiction Award, translator of “Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo: From the Levant to Brazil”), Lena Mahmoud (Fiction Award, “Amreekiya: A Novel”), Cheryl Reid (Fiction Award, “As Good As True”), Fady Joudah (The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award, “Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance: Poems”) and Noor Al-Samarrai (Honorable Mention, Poetry: “El Cerrito”).
A reception will precede the awards ceremony at 5:30 p.m. where guests can mingle and meet the authors. Open Mic Night will follow the ceremony at 8:30 p.m.
For more information, go to arabamericanmuseum.org/bookaward.
The awards are a presentation of MOVE 2019, a national gathering that brings together Arab Americans of all ages and from across the professional and political spectrum to discuss pressing issues facing the community. For more information on MOVE 2019, go to accessmovesummit.org.
Source: Arab American National Museum