We encourage you to purchase from local book shops in DC, such as Lost City Books.
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s first ever Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing Daughters of Smoke and Fire by Ava Homa. The novel highlights the everyday lives of Kurds in Iran through a compelling story of resistance, exile, and love.
Jina Mahsa Amini was murdered by police forces on September 16, 2022, igniting the Zan, Zendegi, Azadi movement and protests in Iran and around the world. Jina's identity as a Kurdish woman, the subsequent attacks on Kurdistan by the Iranian military, and the history of marginalization and persecution of ethnic minorities in Iran are central to understanding and supporting this movement. In honor of the one-year anniversary of Zan, Zendegi, Azadi and the continued fight for freedom in Iran, we've selected Daughters of Smoke and Fire as our first book club selection to amplify the stories and voices of Kurdish women in Iran.
This book club is intended to be an intimate, supportive, and safe space for SWANA (South West Asian and North African) identified femmes to discuss issues of identity, belonging, activism, and solidarity through storytelling. Please only register to attend if your identity intersects with the SWANA region. We thank you for respecting the intention for this book club to center the voices, stories, and experiences of this community.
We will share all questions and the agenda in advance of the book club. While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together will include:
Mindfulness activities
Writing prompts
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
About the Book and Author:
Daughters of Smoke and Fire is the first novel to be published in English by a female Kurdish writer. Set in Iran, this story follows Leila, who dreams of making films to bring the suppressed stories of her people onto the global stage, but obstacles keep piling up. Leila’s younger brother Chia, influenced by their father’s past torture, imprisonment, and his deep-seated desire for justice, begins to engage with social and political affairs. But his activism grows increasingly risky and one day he disappears in Tehran. Seeking answers about her brother’s whereabouts, Leila fears the worst and begins a campaign to save him. But when she publishes Chia’s writings online, she finds herself in grave danger as well. Daughters of Smoke and Fire is an evocative portrait of the lives and stakes faced by 40 million stateless Kurds and a powerful story that brilliantly illuminates the meaning of identity and the complex bonds of family.
Ava Homa is a renowned transnational author, activist, and lecturer. Beyond her literary accomplishments, Homa's influence extends to the realm of advocacy and public speaking, through which she has shed light on the Kurdish and Iranian women's movements, the power of writing as a form of resistance, and the significance of amplifying marginalized voices. Drawing from her intimate knowledge of Kurdish culture and her own personal experiences, Homa infuses her storytelling with authenticity and depth.
About the Facilitators:
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.