It’s hard to synthesize the feelings of this whirlwind past week in the Middle East—I hugged my father for the first time in nearly two and a half years, and he got to see me headline a show at Expo 2020 Dubai with my brilliant & dear friend, Dr. Afra Atiq, & my best friend since I was 13, Brent Shuttleworth, and then do an encore in the desert and under the stars for Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.
I got to hang and rock the stage with my dear amiga, Elizabeth Acevedo, as well as my sister, Nikita Gill, and the wonderful Danabelle Gutierrez.
This was my 3rd time performing in the UAE, and each time a little bit more of my heart is captured by the people of Dubai who continue to astound me with their generosity, kindness, and worldliness.
I’m so grateful to Ahlam Bolooki, Isobel Abulhoul, Jenny Malton, Annabelle Corton, & everyone on the festival team who has so effusively championed and supported my work.
Brent, Afra, and I created an original multilingual, multi-genre piece inspired by and in celebration of the festival’s theme. It meant so much that the entire festival team believed in us and supported our vision from the beginning.
Hoping to travel to many more festivals in the spirit of this collaboration across language, culture, and genre.
All of that being said, it just feels so good to be out in the world again after so long. Truly, here comes the sun…
