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Thank you so much, Annie.

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Lena Khalaf Tuffaha's
literary ancestors

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include Mahmoud Darwish,
June Jordan, Edward Said,

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Naomi Shihab Nye.

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Her love of writing began
at her grandparents' house

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in her grandmother's garden
and her grandfather's library.

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This was in Amman, where
her grandfather was

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the poet laureate of Jordan.

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Her background is Palestinian,
Jordanian, Syrian.

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That means that during
every moment of her life,

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somebody she loves has
lived in a war zone.

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How does a poet speak out
against the deliberate

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obliteration of whole
cities, whole cultures?

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Lena Khalaf Tuffaha shows us.

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She brings to her work the
full range of human emotion,

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refusing to allow occupying
forces to wipe out

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the humanity of any people.

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Her poems are as
intricately crafted

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as traditional
Palestinian embroidery.

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She's won many awards.

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And I'll mention one.

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Her newest book,
Something About Living,

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won the National
Book Award in Poetry.

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That well-deserved recognition
has allowed her voice

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to reach many, many readers at
a crucial moment in history.

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Lena and her beloved Naseem
have raised three daughters--

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Raya, Reema, and Renda, who are
now brilliant young citizens

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of the world.

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She knows that not every
parent has had that privilege.

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That is part of what
makes Lena's poetry

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life giving and essential.

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Please welcome Lena
Khalaf Tuffaha.

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[APPLAUSE]

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