Arab women rock! With so many divas out there, its hard to choose a favorite. So, in an upcoming series, we will feature Arab women who’ve inspired us over the years. When I first listened to Suheir Hammad, Poet and diva extraordinaire, deliver “My Brother” on Def-Jam Poetry, I was brought to tears. Her words on social justice and the conflict Arab-Americans felt after September 11 were honest, profound and powerful. Later I met her and was awestruck by her unique style, graceful presence and quiet confidence.
In this clip, Suheir Hammad performs two spine-tingling spoken-word pieces: “What I Will” and “break (clustered)” — meditations on war and peace, on women and power. Wait for the astonishing line: “Do not fear what has blown up. If you must, fear the unexploded.”
Who are the women who inspire you in the Arab World?
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