Happy to share that I have two new pieces in shawndeez’ new edition of khejalat zine. Khejalat is a word in Persian that means “embarrassment “ or to lose face.” A lot of us Iranian Americans heard “khejalat bekesh” growing up as we displayed behavior our parents weren’t proud of. shawndeez’ work has always been about creating space for fellow trans, gender diverse, and queer Iranians and I’m always honored to be included in these annual zine collections of literary brilliance.
Zines hold a close place in my heart due to their egalitarian nature of publication and can be a great way for writers to get new work ou in the world. My two pieces: one essay about the false binaries Iranians are being given in our current climate of ending war entitled “Dare to Dream” and “this year,” a poem about what celebrating Norooz looked like in the wake of the bombings and internet blackout in Iran.
There will come a day when Iran is free from a totalitarian regime and imperialism. I truly believe that in my heart. Until then, we will keep writing and remembering our past, present, and imagining into the future of what is possible for liberation.