Called ‘’an inspiration,’’ by Marian Wright Edelman, Sara Abou Rashed is an exciting young voice in America. She is a poet, speaker, and storyteller. Originally from Palestine, but born and raised in Syria, Sara moved with her family to Columbus, Ohio in 2013. Since then, she has keynoted at numerous conferences such as the National Convention of Teachers of English, the United States of Women, and Senator Sherrod Brown’s Women’s Leadership Summit.
Sara was also one of 20 global student delegates to the 2018 New York Times Athens Democracy Forum in Greece. Her works appear in over 20 publications, including Poetry Magazine, Poetry Wales, The Kenyon Review, The LA Review and a language arts curriculum by McGraw-Hill. At sixteen, Sara delivered a TEDxTalk and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. In 2019, she wrote and starred in her debut one-woman show titled A Map of Myself, in which she traced her family’s displacement journey and interrogated identity, belonging, immigration, and finding home.
Sara holds a BA in International Studies and Creative Writing from Denison University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. She lives in Columbus and is at work on her first collection of poetry.
Please contact Sara for events, workshops, keynote addresses or poetry readings at your space. She has spoken at over 150 events on storytelling, the power of using our voice, leadership, and supporting marginalized communities.
Testimonials
“I was afraid to breathe for the entirety of Sara’s show for fear I would miss a single word.”
Shirley Nyhan, audience member
“Sara Abou Rashed is one of the most powerful voices in America right now.”
Jeni Britton Bauer, founder of Jeni’s Ice Cream
“Sara’s story is powerful, and to see the way she brings it to life is equally explosive.”
Barbara Fant, poet
Sara Abou Rashed 