Through the medium of poetry, ASWAT brings together the diasporic voices of women with roots in the Middle East and North Africa.
Line Up:
Yomn Al-Kaisi
Yomn is an Iraqi-Palestinian Londoner. In the past, she has performed poems exploring grief, love, and identity via various platforms including Arab Women Artists Now, the Mela Festival, and others. Her poems can be found at www.yomnswords.com
She currently works as a human rights researcher for an NGO focused on civilian rights in the Middle East and North Africa.
Amal Khalidi
Amal Khalidi is a poet, musician and storyteller born and raised in London. Influenced by the day to day chaos in London, they are a lover of nonsense. Their writing ranges from focusing on the fleeting thoughts of the everyday and stretches to understanding the complexities of growing up mixed, muslim and queer.
Shaima Alterkawi
Shaima is a Saudi/American writer, born and raised in Riyadh. She recently completed her MSc in Psychology at UCL and currently works in rare dementia research and support. Alongside her scientific career, Shaima keeps herself busy with various passions and projects which revolve around people, music, and travel. She’s always game for long walks and hot chocolate.
Shaima Alterkawi Instagram / Shaima Alterkawi Website
lisa luxx
lisa is a poet, writer and activist of British and Syrian heritage. Her poems have been published in The Telegraph, The London Magazine and by publishers including Hatchette and Saqi Books. Her work is broadcast on Channel 4, BBC Radio 4 and TEDx. In 2021 she toured UK theatres with the show for her 60-minute poem Eating the Copper Apple, produced by a team of all Arab women artists. She is the recipient of the Apples and Snakes & Jerwood Arts Poetry in Performance Award. Her debut book Fetch Your Mother’s Heart is out now.
lisa luxx Website / lisa luxx Twitter / lisa luxx Instagram / lisa luxx Facebook
Intibint
Intibint is Yemeni singer songwriter and producer from London. Growing up between London and Sana’a listening to Yemeni music at weddings with her mum and a mixture of RnB hiphop, rap and rock music on her own, her rare musical palette shows through her distinct sound. The pseudonym ‘Intibint’ stands for the phrase ‘you are a girl’ in Arabic, which is usually meant to undermine women from being strong and empowered. Intibint uses it to change the narrative of the Arab woman’s position in society through her art both in the east and west. Following the release of her debut EP ‘What Are You Willing to Do’, she performed her new tracks live supporting Elfar3i and Ruba Shamshoum at London’s Jazz Cafe. Her latest release Ishty Ansa is a self written and self produced experimental, electro pop track, giving listeners a taste of what she has planned for 2022. Intibint’s music has been featured by publications including Wordplay magazine, Scene Noise, BBC Arabic Xtra and BBC Radio London.
ASWAT programme curated by Yomn Al-Kaisi
Arts Canteen Website / Arts Canteen Twitter / Arts Canteen Instagram / Arts Canteen Facebook
