Hello Rhonda, welcome to TeenLibrarian and thanks for taking the time to reply some questions on Tagging Freedom!
Are you able to please introduce your self to readers of TL?
I’m the daughter of Syrian immigrants to america. I’m a journalist and have written about Islam and the Arab world for a few years. I began writing kids’s literature in 2017. The conflict in Syria was raging and I used to be very pissed off with adults and the way little they understood what was occurring or what had occurred in Syria. I wished kids to listen to our tales earlier in order that after they develop up, they’ll do a greater job making sense of the world round them.
Would you be capable to give a brief elevator pitch to us to introduce Tagging Freedom?
Tagging Freedom is about two cousins – a Syrian boy named Kareem and his Syrian American cousin named Samira – who, by way of graffiti and artivism, study to make sense of the revolution going down in Syria and uncover what they stand for within the course of and what their function is perhaps even after they’re far-off.
My subsequent query goes to go a bit vast, but it surely does tie in to the e-book – have you learnt how issues in Syria are going in the mean time? (Many of the information in regards to the conflict in Syria has been overshadowed by Ukraine and now the Gaza battle). Are there any reliable sources of reports you might advocate for anybody wanting to seek out out extra?
In English, I like to recommend studying the Guardian and Al Jazeera English for information in regards to the Arab world. I additionally observe Center East Eye, Al-Monitor. The New Arab, The Public Supply, and the BBC. I all the time examine info. I need to know who owns the information supply and what their spin is perhaps. No information is totally unbiased. Lately, I all the time examine the place the journalist is reporting from and I’m all the time asking who their sources are and checking info with different sources or stories.
There may be nonetheless combating in sure components of Syria– there was even an rebellion a number of months in the past in Idlib. However a lot of the nation has quieted down. Folks in Syria are struggling financially. In the course of the summer time, the electrical energy is minimize for a lot of the day. And the price of meals has skyrocketed. The complete area is actually struggling proper now.
As an immigrant myself I’m all the time all for discovering out extra about different communities, is there a big Syrian/Syrian-American group within the US?
I grew up in a Syrian group in Los Angeles. It wasn’t enormous, but it surely was sizeable. We began off surrounded principally by Syrians, however I feel as we grew older and as my dad and mom bought used to being within the U.S., we naturally branched out to completely different teams. We ended up in several Muslim and Arab teams comprised principally of Syrians, Lebanese, Egyptians, Iraqis and Palestinians. As we began asking extra questions on our identification as Syrians and Arabs and Muslims, it was solely pure that we branched out. Additionally they got here from a technology that centered round Arabism, I feel. You do have massive teams of Arabs in Los Angeles, in addition to in different massive U.S. cities like New York Metropolis, Boston, and varied mid-western cities like Toledo, Dearborn, Patterson and different cities in New Jersey and even in cities like New Orleans. There’s even a big Jewish Syrian inhabitants in New York.
Younger individuals have all the time fashioned an integral a part of any rebellion/protest towards brutal regimes and abuses of energy – how true to life had been Kareem’s experiences in Syria?
I really wasn’t in Syria throughout the rebellion in 2011. However I used to be there in 2002-2006, when the opposition motion was taking form in Syria, throughout a time that was dubbed the Damascus Spring. Younger individuals had been positively and younger individuals had been integral to the revolution in Syria. I primarily based Kareem on completely different folks that I had examine and folks that I remembered from my time there. He’s a compilation of characters, actually. The truth that the revolution was ignited by a small act of resistance, by a gaggle of children who graffitied on a wall exterior their faculty makes it a lot about younger individuals. However the revolution concerned individuals of all ages actually. The scene the place Kareem is experiencing his first protest is a vital one. Most children would have seen or been part of pro-government rallies. However to see individuals of all ages, popping out to protest the federal government, to demand freedom – on this degree – that was new. In order that may be very a lot primarily based on actuality. Additionally, I labored for a corporation that introduced Syrian college students to the U.S. and Canada to finish their training, and plenty of of these college students grew to become activists or voices for freedom within the U.S. So I positively primarily based Kareem on a few of these college students.
When studying fiction works primarily based on truth, I all the time take pleasure in an creator’s afterword and factual vignettes that tie in to the narrative (when they’re included) and your work was no exception. Are you able to advocate different books or articles for anybody (me) who’s all for studying extra in regards to the Arab Spring on the whole and Syria particularly?
There’s the graphic novel Muhammad Najem: Battle Reporter. I can’t consider a e-book that will clarify your complete revolution, together with the battle– for teenagers. Possibly that must be written. A few of the greatest journalists throughout the conflict had been ladies. I particularly cherished the reporting of Rania Abouzeid, Anne Bernard, and Lina Sinjab. Rania wrote a e-book known as No Turning Again: Life, Loss and Hope in Wartime Syria. She additionally wrote a Center Grade/ YA e-book primarily based on that e-book known as Sisters of Battle. I might positively advocate studying something she wrote! Sisters of Battle can be a superb begin.
The themes of talking up within the face of inequality and social justice are woven all through Tagging Freedom. Do you’ve any suggestions for younger readers who could want to do the identical however are usually not certain the place or find out how to begin?
Historical past is continually being rewritten as completely different teams are in a position to inform their very own tales. Watching what is occurring in Palestine proper now speaks to that. As Arabs, as Syrians, the story of what occurred in Palestine has all the time been near our hearts as a result of we all know individuals who have been displaced, individuals who have misplaced their houses. We all know individuals from Gaza. They’re our greatest buddies. So, I might say that the very first thing we have to do is ask questions. Have a look at tales from completely different factors of views. Even tales that you’ve grown up with. Then, as you study extra, you’ll naturally discover others who’re , others who need to know extra. And it’ll construct. With time, you’ll discover your individuals who care about the identical points that you just care about. Whether or not it’s the surroundings, or what is occurring in your metropolis or faculties, or something that you just’re all for. First study as a lot as you’ll be able to about what has occurred. The extra data you’ve, the extra you’ll be able to contribute to the narrative that exists about that topic. It would develop organically– discovering others who care about the identical topic, others who need to take motion.
There’s a small (however rising) group of Muslim authors writing books for youthful readers within the US, can you advocate any private favorites you might have?
I’ve so many!! I feel when you’re speaking about image books, I completely love Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (YOUR NAME IS A SONG and ABDUL’S STORY), Hannah Moushabeck (Homeland: My Father Desires of Palestine), and Aya Khalil (THE ARABIC QUILT and THE NIGHT BEFORE EID). For Center Grade, there’s Reem Faruqi’s novels in verse. I completely love her work. And for YA, there’s Huda Fahmy, in fact! Huda F Cares? and Huda F Are YOU? and Malaka Gharib (graphic novels), Zoulfa Katouh and Reem Shukairy. It’s so laborious to say just a few. The Kidlit house for Muslims may be very thrilling proper now!
Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply these questions! I actually loved Tagging Freedom and was questioning when you had any plans for a observe up novel or sequel?
I don’t have plans for a sequel, however I do have two image books popping out this yr. One is known as Insha’Allah, No, Possibly So (Vacation Home) and one other is known as Umm Kulthum, Star of the East (Interlink Publishing.) I’m additionally engaged on a brand new Center Grade however want to maintain {that a} secret for now! Thanks on your questions!
Tagging Freedom is revealed by Union Sq. Youngsters, it’s obtainable now within the US and is revealed within the UK on Thursday February twenty second.
You’ll find out extra about Rhonda and her work on her web site: https://www.rhondaroumani.com/
