susan abulhawa is a Palestinian American writer and political activist. She is the author of Mornings in Jenin-translated into thirty languages-and The Blue Between Sky and Water. Born to refugees of the Six Day War of 1967, she moved to the United States as a teenager, graduated in biomedical science, and established a career in medical science. In July 2001, abulhawa founded Playgrounds for Palestine, a non-governmental children's organization dedicated to upholding the Right to Play for Palestinian children. She lives in Pennsylvania.

Palestine Writes is the only North American literature festival dedicated to celebrating and promoting cultural productions of Palestinian writers and artists. Palestine Writes brings Palestinian cultural workers from all parts of historic Palestine and the diaspora together with peers from other marginalized groups in the United States. Crossing multiple borders-geographic, linguistic, and cultural boundaries-writers, artists, publishers, booksellers, scholars, musicians, and thinkers hold conversations about art, literature, and the intersections between culture and power, politics, climate change, sexuality, human rights, and more. Palestine Writes showcases brilliant voices devoted to the belief that art challenges repression and creates bonds between Palestine and the rest of the world.