Book Klub: The Other Americans
Purchase your copy at a local book store, like Lost City Books.
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing The Other Americans by Laila Lalami.
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While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Screening with the Filmmaker: The Dawn Is Too Far with Persis Karim
Join us at Kucheh for a special screening of The Dawn is Too Far: Stories of Iranian-American Life, a poetic and deeply human portrait of Iranian Americans who have made the San Francisco Bay Area their home over the past five decades.
Filmmaker Persis Karim will be joining us.
We’re honored to welcome filmmaker Persis Karim for an in-person Q&A following the screening — an opportunity to hear directly about the making of the film and the stories it brings to light.
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Title: The Dawn is Too Far: Stories of Iranian-American Life
Release Date: Fall 2024
Country: USA
Age: 12A
Genre: Documentary
Feature Runtime: 55:21 minutes
Co-Directors: Persis Karim and Soumyaa K. Behrens
Co-Producers: Persis Karim and Soumyaa K. Behrens
Executive Producer: Persis Karim
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The Dawn is Too Far: Stories of Iranian-American Life poetically narrates the story of a community of Iranian Americans who have made the San Francisco Bay Area their home over the past five decades. The film seeks to expand our understanding of Iranian immigration — what it means to leave home and country — and live through the episodes of turbulent histories of dissent, revolution, war, and separation — and reinvent oneself in a new place, country, and culture.
The Dawn is Too Far does not paint a story of salvation and happy assimilation, but rather seeks to identify the complex ways that members of the Bay Area's Iranian diaspora community have navigated the challenges and traumas of history—both Iranian and American — to reinvent themselves and tell their own stories; these as yet untold stories build on a longer history of Iranian immigration to Northern California, where Iranians as students, activists, artists, draw on as well as influence the larger culture of the Bay Area. This community and all that it has faced, offers a more nuanced story of the Iranian diaspora—the ways that this community enriches and enlivens the region where they live, work, and build families and community.
The Dawn is Too Far undermines the tired and overplayed news headlines that are dominated by narratives of enmity and mistrust between the government of Iran and the U.S., to offer a more humane understanding of how people's lives and the sacrifices they make are part of the larger story of immigration.
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Persis Karim is a scholar, writer, and filmmaker teaching in the Department of Humanities and Comparative and World Literature at San Francisco State University. Until recently, she served as the founding director of the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies at SFSU, where she led research, programming, and public engagement focused on the global Iranian diaspora. She is the editor of three anthologies of Iranian diaspora literature and has published numerous scholarly articles on Iranian diaspora literature and culture, as well as poetry and essays in non-academic outlets. The Dawn is Too Far: Stories of Iranian-American Life is her first film, reflecting her commitment to documenting and sharing the layered histories and personal narratives of the Iranian diaspora.
Book Klub: Madonna in a Fur Coat
Purchase your copy at a local book store, like Lost City Books.
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali.
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While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Backgammon Night
Play backgammon at Kucheh! Don’t know how to play? You have the option of learning.
If you know the rules, sign up for the tournament. There will be a prize for first place, snacks, beverages, and art for players and spectators to enjoy throughout the evening. You will also have a chance to use a manual press to take home a work of art.
Purchase your tickets and learn more about the event on Eventbrite using the button at the top of the page.
Book Klub
Purchase your copy at a local book store, like Lost City Books.
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing Good Girl by Aria Aber.
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While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Book Klub
Purchase your copy at a local book store, like Lost City Books.
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal by Mohammed el-Kurd.
_____________
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Film Screening: No Other Land
Kucheh invites you to an evening of art, film, and conversation centered on No Other Land, the Oscar-winning documentary that captures the urgency of life under occupation in Palestine and the collective resistance of those fighting for their land and future.
The evening will begin one hour before the screening at 6:30pm with a community art-making activity inspired by themes of land, memory, and liberation. The screening event officially begins at 7:30pm.
“This film made by a Palestinian-Israeli collective shows the destruction of the occupied West Bank's Masafer Yatta by Israeli soldiers and the alliance that develops between the Palestinian activist Basel and Israeli journalist Yuval. For half a decade, Basel Adra, a Palestinian activist, films his community of Masafer Yatta being destroyed by Israel's occupation, as he builds an unlikely alliance with an Israeli journalist who wants to join his fight. Learn more at supportmasaferyatta.com”
Following the screening, we will hold a brief, informal discussion over tea and sweets to reflect on the film and the stories it tells for those who want to stay and chat.
Tickets will be available through the Gathr platform.
All proceeds go directly to the filmmakers in support of their work. Everyone is welcome.
Book Klub
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis.
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Purchase your copy at a local book store, like Lost City Books.
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
An Evening with Neda Toloui-Semnani
Join us at Kucheh for an intimate evening with Neda Toloui-Semnani, the acclaimed author of They Said They Wanted Revolution and an Emmy Award–winning journalist whose work bridges personal memory, political history, and diasporic identity.
Set in the cozy, community-driven atmosphere of our art studio, this event is more than a reading—it’s a conversation. A gathering. A space for aspiring writers, curious readers, activists, and members of the Iranian diaspora and beyond to come together and learn from Neda’s journey as both a writer and a witness.
Neda’s memoir chronicles the reverberations of the Iranian Revolution through generations and across continents. Her work speaks to exile, belonging, resistance, and the complexities of inheritance—making this evening especially meaningful for anyone interested in the role of narrative in shaping identity and movement.
This event will unfold organically, with space for dialogue, questions, and shared reflection. Whether you’re a writer in the making, someone navigating diasporic identity, or simply drawn to the power of storytelling in community, we welcome you to bring your voice and presence into the circle.
Mother's Day Card Printing
Celebrate the moms in your life with a hands-on card printing activity at Kucheh art studio and shop! During our regular Saturday shop hours, stop by and create a one-of-a-kind Mother’s Day card using our collection of pre-carved stamps and high-quality materials. For just $5, you can print a beautiful card to take home—perfect for gifting to a special mom or keeping as a sweet memento. All materials are provided, and no experience is needed. Come get creative with us!
Backgammon Day
Play in a backgammon tournament at Kucheh!
If you know the rules, sign up for the tournament. If not, come play for fun and learn the game! There will be a prize for first place, snacks, beverages, and art for players and spectators to enjoy throughout the event. You will also have a chance to press and take home a work of handmade art from the studio!
Book Klub
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad.
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Purchase your copy at a local book store, like Lost City Books.
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Norooz Market
Our annual celebration of Springtime in Washington, DC is coming soon! Shopping from local artisans, outstanding food, and performances for the whole family.
Workshop: The Art of Linocut
Learn the basics of linocut carving and printing in one 3-hour session with a professional artist. All experience levels are welcome.
This class is an opportunity to learn to get creative, develop a plan and design, and make a bold work of art using linocut. You will be guided and learn the complete linoleum carving and printing process, and will leave with a series of prints and your carved printing block. All materials are included with your registration, including but not limited to linocut blocks, carving tools, handles, brayers, tracing paper, printmaking paper, palette knives, gloves, rags, sketching materials, and inspiration materials.
About the Artist:
Mina Michelle Jafari is a multi-disciplinary artist, with over a decade of professional experience with creating digital art, paintings, screenprinting, and linocut printmaking. She has degrees in Government & Politics and Persian Studies from the University of Maryland College Park, and grew up in the Washington, DC area.
Author Talk: Meet Afarin Bellisario
Donate any amount to RSVP!
We are excited to host Afarin Ordubadi Bellisario to discuss her new novel, Silenced Whispers. Come with your questions about the book, and stay to chat over tea and get your copy signed. Books will also be available for purchase at the event.
“Silenced Whispers tells the story of an Iranian woman's battle for freedom — personal and national — amid profound societal changes, and her forbidden love for a Russian reformer. It explores such themes as gaining agency, search for identity amidst transformation, and the clash between individual desires and societal needs at a time of profound change. These themes remain relevant in today's rapidly changing society, shedding light on issues such as East-West relations and the over hundred years of Iranian women’s struggle for independence.”
About the author: Afarin Bellisario was born and raised in Tehran in a family with its feet in the past and its head in the future: whereas her grandmothers could barely read, her university-educated father and uncles were prominent members of Iran's new technocratic elite. Her great-grandfather had 25 wives and concubines; she holds a PhD from MIT. She perceives this as progress. She began writing professionally in major women and youth publications and the literary magazine Ferdowsi at the age of 14, in pre-revolutionary Tehran. She came to the US to study and stayed when the Islamic Revolution happened. Most of her professional career has been spent in the high-tech world in both technical and business capacities. But she has continued writing. In 2013, her essay "Movies with My Aunt" was published in the anthology Love & Pomegranates, edited by M. N. Sayers. The Wall Street Journal and The Boston Globe have published several of her op-eds, and she writes regularly about the clash between tradition and modernity on Medium (Counterview). Through her writing, she actively seeks to create a conversation around the themes covered in her book, Silenced Whispers.
Book Klub: Yellowface
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing Yellowface by R. F. Kuang.
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While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Yalda Winter Market
Mark your calendars! The Yalda winter solstice market is on Saturday, December 21 from 3-7 pm! There will be amazing vendors to shop from, and no shortage of hot food, drink, and entertainment!
Special thanks to our sponsors and tireless organizers @brooklandartswalk, @kuchehdc, @kuzehpottery, and @omid.pilates @mooonbeam for sustaining Norooz Market’s seasonal events and community traditions! #wintersolstice #holidaymarket #yaldamarkethortage of hot food, drink, and entertainment! For more information visit @Noroozmarket
Kids + Krafts: Celebrate Yalda
Calling all kids and their families! Join us for a Yalda crafting event on Sunday, December 8!
Come as we make and learn about the traditions of the longest night of the year, also known as #Yalda, while we craft together! It is a time when loved ones gather to eat, drink, and read poetry (especially Hafez). We will be coloring, cutting, molding, gluing, and having plenty of fun!
There will be light kid-friendly snacks, as well as tea and sweets for parents to enjoy. We will also be learning how to seed pomegranates, an important part of the Yalda holiday.
Book Klub: Meet Author Yahya Gharagozlou
Join us for a special end-of-the-year Book Klub event! We will read and discuss Killing Gilda by Yahya Gharagozlou, with the author! Come with your questions, and stay to chat over tea and get your copy signed. Books will also be available for purchase at the event.
“Killing Gilda is infused with intrigue, but at its heart, it's a love story that follows the best traditions of classics like The Beauty and the Beast. We enter the rarified atmosphere of the court, the young woman's life, and the reasons for her death. We follow the characters through the Paris of Madame Claude, the Shah's ski resort at St. Moritz, and Doctor Pitanguy's plastic surgery clinic in Baden Baden.”
About the author: Born in Iran, Yahya Gharagozlou earned an MFA from the University of New Hampshire. Gharagozlou has published short stories in The Kenyon and Massachusetts Review.
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Purchase from your local bookstore, more copies will be available at the event.
This book club is intended to be an intimate, supportive, and safe space for SWANA (South West Asian and North African) identified femmes to discuss issues of identity, belonging, activism, and solidarity through storytelling. Please only register to attend if your identity intersects with the SWANA region. We thank you for respecting the intention for this book club to center the voices, stories, and experiences of this community.
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Book Klub
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing A Woman is a School by Céline Semaan.
_____________
This book club is intended to be an intimate, supportive, and safe space for SWANA (South West Asian and North African) identified femmes to discuss issues of identity, belonging, activism, and solidarity through storytelling. Please only register to attend if your identity intersects with the SWANA region. We thank you for respecting the intention for this book club to center the voices, stories, and experiences of this community.
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Backgammon Night
Play backgammon at Kucheh! Don’t know how to play? You have the option of learning.
If you know the rules, sign up for the tournament. There will be a prize for first place, snacks, beverages, and art for players and spectators to enjoy throughout the evening. You will also have a chance to use a custom screenprinting press and take home your backgammon-inspired work of art!
Purchase your tickets and learn more about the event on Eventbrite using the button at the top of the page.
Build a Self-Watering Planter
In the spirit of Mehregan and fall harvest, we are hosting an event with our friend, avid forest gardener and plant lover, Arman Milanian.
Join us to create a one-of-a-kind self-watering planter with the guidance of a plant expert! In this interactive event, you'll learn about water-wicking concepts and get hands-on experience building your own planter. Paints will be available so you can add your personal touch and make your creation truly unique. Be prepared to get a little dirty! If you're eager to start planting right away, feel free to bring a plant to place directly into your 2-gallon planter — otherwise, an assortment of seeds will be available for sowing.
The event will be led by Arman Milanian, an avid forest gardener and plant lover with 8 years of experience in regenerative agriculture and a passion for designing edible landscapes using permaculture principles. Arman is an edible landscape designer at Dandelion Foodscapes and volunteer coordinator at Forested, a 10-acre food forest in Bowie, MD. He is deeply committed to the earth and, a strong advocate of the solar punk movement.
Your completed work of art will be ready to take home at the end of the event. All materials, including paints and tools, are part of the ticket price.
Book Klub
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing The Anthropologists by Ayşegül Savaş.
_____________
You can order from a local bookstore like Lost City Books.
This book club is intended to be an intimate, supportive, and safe space for SWANA (South West Asian and North African) identified femmes to discuss issues of identity, belonging, activism, and solidarity through storytelling. Please only register to attend if your identity intersects with the SWANA region. We thank you for respecting the intention for this book club to center the voices, stories, and experiences of this community.
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Book Klub
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing Let Us Believe in the Beginning of the Cold Season, a book of selected poetry by Forough Farrokhzad, translated into English.
_____________
You can order from a local bookstore like Lost City Books.
This book club is intended to be an intimate, supportive, and safe space for SWANA (South West Asian and North African) identified femmes to discuss issues of identity, belonging, activism, and solidarity through storytelling. Please only register to attend if your identity intersects with the SWANA region. We thank you for respecting the intention for this book club to center the voices, stories, and experiences of this community.
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Book Klub
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj.
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You can order from a local bookstore like Lost City Bookstore.
This book club is intended to be an intimate, supportive, and safe space for SWANA (South West Asian and North African) identified femmes to discuss issues of identity, belonging, activism, and solidarity through storytelling. Please only register to attend if your identity intersects with the SWANA region. We thank you for respecting the intention for this book club to center the voices, stories, and experiences of this community.
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Backgammon Night
Play backgammon at Kucheh! Don’t know how to play? You have the option of learning.
If you know the rules, sign up for the tournament. There will be a prize for first place and plenty of snacks, beverages, and art for players and spectators to enjoy throughout the evening. You will also have a chance to use a custom screenprinting press and take home your backgammon-inspired work of art!
Purchase your tickets and learn more about the event on Eventbrite using the button at the top of the page.
Book Klub
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi. Content Warning: This book contains potentially triggering subject matter. You can download a free pdf of the book here.
_____________
You can order from a bookstore or use this link for a free pdf copy of the book.
This book club is intended to be an intimate, supportive, and safe space for SWANA (South West Asian and North African) identified femmes to discuss issues of identity, belonging, activism, and solidarity through storytelling. Please only register to attend if your identity intersects with the SWANA region. We thank you for respecting the intention for this book club to center the voices, stories, and experiences of this community.
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Phonebank for Palestine
Phonebank for the lawmakers who are speaking up for Palestine.
AIPAC and the Democratic establishment are backing Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s multimillionaire opponent in the primaries. They are spending millions to influence the June 25 elections in New York, in opposition to progressive policies and calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. We need to support Jamaal in his reelection so he can continue making a difference in Congress and for Palestinians!
Pizza will be provided — bring your phone, and help us encourage voters to turnout for the primary elections and keep Bowman in Congress!
Book Klub
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing The Color Black: Enslavement and Erasure in Iran by Beeta Baghoolizadeh.
_____________
Available through Duke University Press, or can be ordered through your local book store.
This book club is intended to be an intimate, supportive, and safe space for SWANA (South West Asian and North African) identified femmes to discuss issues of identity, belonging, activism, and solidarity through storytelling. Please only register to attend if your identity intersects with the SWANA region. We thank you for respecting the intention for this book club to center the voices, stories, and experiences of this community.
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Book Klub
Join us for Kucheh Kollective’s monthly Book Klub event! We will be reading and discussing Customs by Solmaz Sharif.
_____________
Order this book from a local bookstore. Lost City Books in DC has this available in shop.
This book club is intended to be an intimate, supportive, and safe space for SWANA (South West Asian and North African) identified femmes to discuss issues of identity, belonging, activism, and solidarity through storytelling. Please only register to attend if your identity intersects with the SWANA region. We thank you for respecting the intention for this book club to center the voices, stories, and experiences of this community.
While the book will be a starting point for our discussions, this book club is not meant to be academically rigorous or intimidating, but rather a safe space for community and connection. We encourage readers and non-readers alike to join!
Discussions will consider the intersection between the themes from the selected book and our personal and emotional experiences. Our time together includes:
Group sharing
Small group sharing
Tea and Sweets (feel free to bring your own snack!)
Please read or listen to the selected book in advance. If you register and are unable to complete the book prior to the event or unable to attend for any reason, please contact Kucheh Kollective (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) so another individual may have the opportunity to attend.
By registering for Book Klub, please note you will receive emails from the organizers from the Kucheh Kollective email (kuchehkollective@gmail.com) prior to and after the event.
While this is a free event, we encourage you to consider making a donation if you can! 100% of the donations will be invested into the future of Book Klub.
_____________
About the Facilitators
Anita Farsad is a writer and facilitator based in Washington DC. Through poetry, essays, and fiction, she explores themes including memory, identity, and migration.
Mina M. Jafari is an artist based in Washington, DC and co-owner of Kucheh Art Studio + Shop. Her art is rooted in Iranian culture, and is a way for her to express her political and feminist point of view.
Backgammon Night
Come play backgammon at Kucheh! Don’t know how to play? You have the option of learning. If you know the rules, sign up for the tournament. There will be a prize for first place and plenty of snacks, beverages, and art for players and spectators to enjoy throughout the evening. You will also have a chance to use a custom screenprinting press and take home your backgammon-inspired work of art!
Purchase your tickets and learn more about the event on Eventbrite using the button at the top of the page.
Paint Your Own Ceramic
Enjoy tea and sweets while painting handmade ceramic bowls with your designs! Each bowl is lovingly made by our friend Pegah Shahghasemi of Kuzeh Pottery — and once you complete your design, your ceramic will be professionally glazed and fired by Pegah!
Photo copyright of Kuzeh Pottery / Pegah Shahghasemi
Bring your ideas to life, and create a one-of-a-kind piece with the help of a ceramic artist! Your completed work of art will be ready to pick up 2 weeks after the event.
The event will be led by Kuzeh Pottery and held at Kucheh Art Studio + Shop (716 Monroe Street NE, Studio 9, Washington, DC 20017). All materials, including tea and sweets, are part of the ticket price.
More about Kuzeh Pottery
Kuzeh Pottery creates artistic and functional ceramics including tableware, kitchenware, and bakeware. Owners, Pegah Shahghasemi and Lisa Ramber create their work with influences from Persian culture, Mediterranean patterns, and nature. The line is modern, yet very colorful with a touch of whimsy. Kuzeh is Farsi (Persian) for clay pottery.