Lara Bedewi

As an Arab-American woman with a mixed Palestinian, Lebanese, and Egyptian background, the experiences depicted in "To'oborni" are deeply personal for me. Having left everything to immigrate to America, my family made strong efforts to preserve their culture and values from back home. However, living in the states for many years created a rift across generations, leading the younger members of my family to lose reverence for these customs. Growing up, I found myself at the center of this conflict, just as Salma, the protagonist, has to choose whether to play into lost traditions, or stay true to herself.