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Imagine working tirelessly for years to publish your first novel—only to have the moment of celebration collide with the collapse of your country. Imagine being forced to flee, leaving behind everything you’ve ever known, and yet… still finding your voice through poetry, storytelling, and advocacy.

Today, I have the honor of speaking with Samman Akbarzada—a poet, novelist, refugee, and fierce advocate for human rights. Her novel, Life is a Movie, tells the story of a working child in Afghanistan, while her poetry collection, A Glimmer in the Dark, captures the heartbreak of exile and the enduring hope of survival. Join us as we discuss the power of storytelling, the resilience of the human spirit, and how writing can bear witness to both personal and collective grief. 

Episode Highlights

• 2:04: Publishing in a War Zone
• 9:43: The Impact of Crisis and Loss on Our Writing Lives
• 17:31: Giving a Voice to Someone Who’s Gone
• 21:35: How Helping Others Empowers You
• 28:50: Listening to the Howl 
• 32:48 Writing as an Act of Service
• 35:20: Samman’s Best Writing Advice

Resources for this Episode:

• Afghan refugees head to Washington asking special visas be issued for families
• Afghan refugee pleads for resettlement support on Capitol Hill
• Volunteer Information: https://www.volunteermatch.org/
• Volunteer Organizations in Charlottesville: 
  • https://soundjusticelab.org/cville-tulips
  • https://www.charlottesvilleunited.org/
  • https://www.virginiaequitycenter.org/
• Watch the Trailer for Limbo

Samman’s Bio: Samman Akbarzada is an Afghan refugee and the author of two books: A Glimmer in the Dark, her poetry collection, and Life is a Movie, her debut novel. A second-year student at the University of Virginia, she is committed to working with NGOs and advocating for the rights of underserved communities. Her words capture the suffering, heartbreak, gratitude, and redemption that mark a life lived on the blade of conflict, with love and empathy as her constant guiding light.

Connect with Samman

• Author Website: https://www.amazon.com/author/samman-akbarzada
• Instagram.com/sammanwrites
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samman-akbarzada-9359792a0
• Samman’s books on Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/life-is-a-movie-samman-akbarzada/17

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Produced by Espresso Podcast Production