Date: Friday, May 10th

Where: All Day in Hall Library

Keren Blankfeld Taqqu is an award-winning narrative nonfiction journalist.

The granddaughter of four World War II refugees, Keren grew up hearing stories of partisans, hidden children and orphans. Her grandparents were displaced people in Eastern Europe who found their way to São Paulo, Brazil, where Keren was born. At age 12 she immigrated to Houston with her family.

As a journalist, Keren gravitates toward stories about refugees and immigrants. Her articles have ranged from interviews with New York City DREAMers to cover stories and profiles on both refugees and billionaires. Keren has written for The New York Times, Forbes, Reuters, The Toronto Star and others.

Her new book, Lovers in Auschwitz: A True Story, will publish through Little, Brown and Company on January 2024. The book is based on her 2019 New York Times feature “Lovers in Auschwitz,” which was translated to more than ten languages and received The Silurians Press Club Merit Award for Feature Writing.

Keren started her journalism career in 2005 reporting on a sewage facility in Rahway, New Jersey. In 2008 she joined Forbes Magazine where she served as a staff writer and editor. She has been a guest on CNN, BBC World News and E! Entertainment. In 2013 Keren served as a creative executive at New Regency Productions, where she worked with screenwriters and playwrights to develop material for movies and TV shows.

Keren teaches reporting and writing at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, where she earned her MS. She also holds a BA in International Relations and English from Tufts University. Visit Ms. Blankfeld's website for more information.