From Here (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780593354452)

In her coming-of-age memoir, refugee advocate Luma Mufleh writes of her tumultuous journey to reconcile her identity as a gay Muslim woman and a proud Arab-turned-American refugee.

With no word for "gay" in Arabic, Luma may not have known what to call the feelings she had growing up in Jordan during the 1980s, but she knew well enough to keep them secret. It was clear that not only would her family have trouble accepting her, but trapped in a conservative religious society, she could've also been killed if anyone discovered her sexuality. Luma spent her teenage years increasingly desperate to find a way out, and finally found one when she was accepted into college in the United States. Once there, Luma begins the ago­nizing process of applying for political asylum, which ensures her safety--but causes her family to break ties with her.

Becoming a refugee in America is a rude awakening, and Luma must rely on the grace of friends and strangers alike as she builds a new life and finally embraces her full self. Slowly, she's able to forge a new path forward with both her biological and chosen families, eventually founding Fugees Family, a nonprofit dedicated to the education and support of refu­gee children in the United States.

As hopeful as it is heartrending, From Here is a coming-of-age memoir about one young woman's search for belonging and the many meanings of home for those who must leave theirs.

Author: Luma Mufleh
ISBN-10: 0593354451
ISBN-13: 9780593354452
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Language: English
Published: 05/16/2023
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.60w x 1.20d
Award: Yalsa Award for Excellence in Non-Fiction for Young Adults - Finalist

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 03/01/2023
Booklist 04/15/2023 pg. 38
Publishers Weekly 05/08/2023
School Library Journal 07/01/2023 pg. 83