Yahya Ashour

شاعر غزّي

 يحيى عاشور

Gazan Poet

A Gaza of Siege & Genocide

Written & Illustrated by: Yahya Ashour

Contact Yahya on his social media to learn how you can help:

Ways you can help Gaza:

Ways you can help Gazans:

Journal Editors | Anthology Editors | Book Publishers | Writing Residencies | MFA Programs | Writing Contests | Poetry Translators | College Professors | Cultural Organizers | Visual & Performing Artists

Yahya Ashour | يحيى عاشور 

is a touring poet and an awarded author.


Ashour was born on April 22nd, 1998 in Gaza, where he grew up and continuously resided until September 2023, when he came to the United States to participate in a festival, and wasn't able to go back home since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza. He is currently staying in Saline, Michigan.


During the Spring of 2024, Ashour released "A Gaza of Siege & Genocide: excerpts" a poetry book written and illustrated by him.

Since Fall 2023, he has been reading poetry and talking across the United States about the genocide in Gaza. His poetry reading is called: “What the World’s Silence Says: A Reading With Gazan Poet Yahya Ashour”. 


Photo taken June 2023 in Gaza by Yousef Dawas, who was murdered during the genocide, and Yahya is standing in front of Rashad Al-Shawwa Cultural Center in Gaza which also got destroyed recently.

Learn more about Yahya:

Books

Translations

His writings were translated into 8 languages:



Journals

Anthologies

Residencies

• He's an honorary fellow at the University of Iowa, USA, and a 2022 fall resident of the International Writing Program held there.


• He was selected in 2023 for a residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, France.


• He was a resident in 2024 at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, USA


• He has a fellowship with Mizna, an American journal based in St. Paul, USA.

Awards

• His children's book won the Arab Children's Books Publishers Forum award in 2022.

The book was also shortlisted by the iBBY chapter in Palestine for the iBBY International Honor List 2022-2024. 

- He also won several local writing contests like Novell Gaza and My First Book. 


• He was the youngest poet to be featured in the anthology of Palestinian Poetry Today which featured poets born between the 1970s and the 1990s, edited and translated by the renowned French-Moroccan poet Abdellatif Laabi.

Readings (Universities)


Readings (Organizations)

Education

He earned a BA in Sociology/Psychology in 2020 from Al-Azhar University - Gaza.


He was also an exchange student at Fostoria High School in Ohio, USA in 2014-15, during his junior year, sponsored by the KL-YES program & Youth For Understanding USA.

He attended UNRWA schools until 9th grade, he earned his high school diploma from a public school.

Work


07/2023 - 08/2023 

01/2021 - 12/2021

07/2019 - 08/2019 

Senior Animator 

at Nawa Association - Middle Area


07/2023 - 08/2023 

01/2022 - 03/2022

Creative Writing Mentor 

at Qattan Foundation - Gaza


05/2022 - 02/2023 

Field Coordinator & Mobilizer 

at REFORM Association - Gaza


11/2022 - 12/2022 

Hub Coordinator

at Theater Days Productions - Gaza


02/2022 - 03/2022 

Creative Writing Mentor

at Tamer Institute - Gaza & North Gaza


09/2020 - 09/2020 

News Literacy Mentor

at American Councils (USA) - Online


03/2019 - 08/2020 

Testing Assistant 

at AMIDEAST - Gaza


11/2019 - 12/2019 

English Teacher

at British International School - Gaza

Scholarships

Courses

01/2021 - 08/2021 

The Arab Culture Association - Online

poetry writing course with Najwan Darwish.


12/2020 - 12/2020 

Robert McKee Story Seminar - Online


04/2020 – 09/2020 

Freelance Academy 

at Gaza Sky Geeks - Online


Community Service


02/2019 - 03/2022 

Project Leader & Instructor 

at YES Alumni Network - Gaza


09/2019 - 10/2020 

Movie Subtitler at 

Goethe Institute - Online 


08/2018 - 07/2020 

Book Promoter 

at Tamer Institute - Gaza


8/2019 - 04/2020 

College Intern 

at Gaza Community Mental Health Program 


02/2019 - 05/2019 

College Intern 

at Atfaluna Society For Deaf Children 


07/2015 – 08/2018 

Office Volunteer 

at AMIDEAST - Gaza


07/2017 - 07/2017 

Event Volunteer 

at USAID - Gaza


06/2016 - 06/2016 Camp Assistant 

at National Center for Rehabilitation


09/2014 - 06/2015 

Volunteer 

at Youth For Understanding 

Participation

03/2023 - 03/2023 

03/2014 - 03/2014 

Participant Poet 

at French Institute - Gaza


06/2015 - 06/2019 

Alumni Member 

at U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs

10/2018 - 05/2019 Book Club member

06/2015 - 2019 YES Alumnus:

• 06/2019 | Professional Writing workshop.

• 04/2018 | Psychological First Aid workshop 

• 07/2017 | Career Development workshop.

• 03/2016 | Debate workshop.

• 02/2016 | Training of Trainers workshop.

07/2012 - 2019 ACCESS Alumnus:

• 11/2019 | Leadership workshop.

• 06/2019 | Project Management workshop. 

• 09/2018 | Life Skills workshop.

04/2018 - 12/2018 

Participant Poet 

at 28 Magazine - Gaza

"The Flowers of Language" and "The Leaves of Olives” events.

"Contemplation of Poetry" sessions


10/2009 - 08/2015 

Team Member at Tamer Institute - Gaza

• Yaraat Team for Literature


04/2015 

Participant at Civilizations Exchange & Cooperation Foundation - USA: Better Understanding for a Better Understanding (BUBW) conference.


07/2009 - 09/2012 

Club Member at Qattan Foundation

• Electronic Writer Club

• Book Club


Internet

Life