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Portrait of Ibtisam Barakat

Ibtisam Barakat

Poet, educator, peace activist; voice for Palestinian diaspora and youth.

Born
1963
Born in
Beit Hanina, East Jerusalem, Palestine
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Why Ibtisam is here

Ibtisam Barakat is included for her significant literary contributions that provide a poignant view of Palestinian experiences, her activism for peace and education, and her role as a cultural bridge between her Palestinian heritage and her American context.

Their story

Ibtisam Barakat is a Palestinian-American author, poet, translator, and educator. She is recognized for her bilingual literary work which encompasses themes of healing from the trauma of war, peacemaking, and the Palestinian experience. As a voice for the Palestinian diaspora, her work resonates with themes of displacement and resilience.

In pictures

Milestones

The moments that shaped Ibtisam’s path.

  1. Fled home during the Six-Day War at the age of three.

  2. Immigrated to the United States on June 9, 1986.

  3. Received a BA in English literature from Birzeit University.

  4. Earned dual master’s degrees in journalism and human development and family studies from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

  5. Published her memoir "Tasting the Sky

    A Palestinian Childhood" in 2007, receiving critical acclaim and awards.

Legacy

What they built, changed and left behind.

  1. Her memoirs provide a narrative of Palestinian childhood and coming of age under occupation.

  2. Received the International Reading Association’s Best Nonfiction Book Award for Children and Young Adults in 2008.

  3. Her stories and poems have been widely anthologized, contributing to the understanding of Palestinian experiences.

  4. Founded the Write Your Life seminars to empower others through writing.

    Watch

  5. Served as an educator at Stephens College, fostering a new generation's understanding of Middle Eastern culture and literature.

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Ibtisam in interviews, talks and coverage.

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