Amana Diab

My family comes originally from a tiny Palestinian village called Turmusayya. My writing journey began with a poetry project in the seventh grade. I never thought I’d fall in love with pencil and paper (or the keys of a laptop!) as much as I am now. By the time I was in the ninth grade, I was taking writing seriously. With the encouragement of my teachers and friends, I took it even further to perform my pieces, participate in poetry competitions, write in different languages, and even write a script for my own stand-up comedy acts. Writing has allowed me to take a leap out of my comfort zone and try things I never imagined attempting.

Now that I’m 18 years old and have recently graduated high school, I have experiences and stories to fill the pages of my next chapter. As a proud Palestinian and a young writer, I am not scared to take risks, fall apart and make mistakes because I have the confidence to explore the unknown, to stand back up with my head held high, and to keep making mistakes until I learn from them… all because of a poetry project in the seventh grade.

Meanwhile, I am attending Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama, studying kinesiology. My plan is to become a physical therapist while also pursuing my poetry.