I drove to work on Tuesday and found myself sobbing…deep sobs…coming from a wave of sorrow unexpectantly bubbling up from somewhere hidden. Finally, the day had come, pub day for my picture book, Egyptian Lullaby. It has been a long time coming…five years…I had anticipated intense joy but not sadness. And then I remembered that my father had died a little over a year ago. There would be no phone call today to share the anticipated book birthday.
In fact, I was in Cairo exactly a year ago because he passed away on March 19th.
Click here to view post about my trip to Egypt
Even more heart breaking was the memory of my Aunt Zina who had been the inspiration for the book. She too died before the book came out. Again, there would be no phone call.
I thought about legacy and memories and what we leave behind as I drove to work to be with with my 19, 5-year-olds. I thought about the lifetimes they have ahead of them. I thought about the audience I wrote for when I wrote this book over 5 years ago. I thought about the irony that the students who would share this book birthday with me were either yet to be born or were just born. I thought about how their parents were incubating them at the same time I was incubating this book. I felt how it all swirled around me... Life and death, beginnings and endings, celebrations and being alone…and I marveled at it all through my sobs.
Click here if the video above won't play
Click here if the video above won't play
As an artist, I am always seeking to speak my truth and tell stories through different mediums. My current way is to write children's picture books. When I became a parent, I found it difficult to continue to develop as a photographer and visual artist. My days as a parent were too delicious to divide between being present with my child and creating new works. I chose parenthood and paused my artistic endeavors. Now that she is transitioning into young adulthood, I am finding the time and energy to return to my former life.
Picture books seem to come out on Tuesdays. An odd day of the week to ask children to come to an author event. This book held so much emotion. It is my love letter to Cairo and all that it means to me. It is also my way to counter the negative media depictions of Arabs that demonize the culture.
I wanted to acknowledge the day, so I created a photography exhibit with photos of Cairo titled, Dear Cairo...my dear Cairo. The artist reception served as my artist/author event designed to complement the book and carry the same intention and message, to normalize Arab culture for those who are unfamiliar and to celebrate for those who are familiar with it. The Los Angeles photo exhibit is happening simultaneously at two different venues, the Venice Abbot Kinney Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library and Village Well Books and Coffee in Culver City. Different photos will be on display at each venue as part of the exhibit. There will also be a second artist reception on April 22 4:00pm - 6:00pm.
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